Try Again Later

@dianaasterio​

Nervous didn’t quite cover how Francis was feeling. His mind hadn’t settled down for a minute since he had kissed Amos, and it wasn’t even just that that was getting to him. His focus was slipping away and with it his drive for success. The only person he could think to go to in order to regain his footing was Diana. He trusted her more than anyone else in the world. He met her outside the library, fidgeting with his tie. He liked to be well dressed, but he felt like he was suffocating in his shirt. He undid the top button as if that would help him stop feeling so stifled.

When he finally spotted her leaving the building he swept forward and took her hand, “Hey,” he smiled vaguely but he looked somewhat insincere. He couldn’t hide the fact that he was distracted. “Do you mind if we take a walk somewhere private?” he asked. He couldn’t hide the anxious energy that emanated from him. 

Diana was lightly blowing on the fresh coat of paint she had just put on her nails. It was time for a new color. One of her nails had chipped and it was so much nicer to just redo all of them. The librarians loved her so they didn’t mind her doing them. They always turned a blind eye when the strong smell wafted through the library. she carefully pushed the door open with the palm of her hand as to not smudged them. 

Her eyes locked with Francis’s almost as soon as she exited. Her shoulders tensed slightly as her gaze swept over him. Something was wrong. Not only was he fidgeting in public but his hand seemed to be shaking slightly when he grabbed hers. “ You know I always have time for you. Did you have somewhere in mind?” She responded to his question squeezing his hand slightly. Her nails could be fixed. This was more important. 

“I’d call it realistic.” He kept smirking. “But you are right, who knows, maybe the staff will have  a stroke of genius and figure it out.” He added, unconvinced. “I wouldn’t bet on that though.” He shrugged. Now Domenico could appreciate a prank well done, but this… well this sucked.

“That’s sick… if you ask me, stealing a girl shoe I mean…” Yep. “Besides, who does that?” Was he wasting time though, by discussing this, while he still didn’t know what, if anything have been missing among his own stuff. “And sure, replaceable, but still sucks I imagine.” He scratched the back of his neck.

“I bet they are. I mean, it’s another screw up for them… This kind of things don’t exactly help keep up the good name.” Which of course could be a problem. “I dunno, maybe we should look into it ourselves.” Where to start though? It was not like Domenico had any investigative skills though. “I just hope that they won’t just punish everyone when the thief does not show up on his own… Like with the pool party.” It wasn’t exactly the same though, after all everyone present there knew that they were acting against the rules.

“Nothing solid? Means you have something? Come on shoot… Got nothing myself, any idea can help…”

“Anyone can have a stroke of genius.” Ask all the idiots who managed to say something intelligent once in a while. She wouldn’t bet on it either. To many unknowns. Not that she really counted on the adults to figure out in the first place anyways.

Diana didn’t quite know if she agreed that it was sick. Twisted sure. But if they were truly looking to take something sickening they would have gone with something far more humiliating then a shoe. The only harm coming from the missing shoe was the annoyance she felt at it. 

Broadripples name had been dragged through the mud once before. It wouldn’t surprise her if it was again. She was still slightly surprised that the townspeople cared enough ti get these cabins up and running. Even if they were subpar. “Personally I don’t have the time to dedicate to that project. But if you have all the extra free time you should go for it.” She didn’t think anyone had any actual’free’ time. They just didn’t use the time they had to its full potential. “I’m sure we’ll be fine.” 

“I don’t like to accuse people when i have no proof.” That would after all, be terribly rude. And she was never rude. 

✟

Amos was always something to be devoured by the world. A ripe cherry, glistening skin fresh with morning dew. Plump, and juicy, begging to be bit into and stain lips crimson. His mother would tell him this before he could understand anything else. He was like her in that way, luscious on the outside. So Shiny. But he knew what she was truly saying when she uttered these words, he had to bite into the world first. With bared teeth like his father, and a smile that demanded war. 

If he let himself be consumed, they’d know the rot inside. That dark pit centre, collapsed into the inky mess that in years turned into a creature hungry itself. Promising destruction with a debauched tongue. He’d turn himself into the creature that wanted to swallow the stars, and claim the constellations, when all he wanted was to be adored.

“Is that not obvious, Diana?” Shadowed hues regard the girl before him, tracing the masterpiece of marble and gold. “My longing for the lord to hear my cry.”

Their eyes meet, up close Diana’s fractured halo even more captivating. He couldn’t bring himself to look away, wanting to press his palms against the sharp fragments of her facade, he wanted to spill crimson from where she bit into him, as she sunk her teeth into this game they played.  “You wear deceit well, but I long to know what lurks beneath your veil. Tell me, does Francis know? Because he need not know your cries to the lord as we stain His name.”

Diana was once something to be devoured by the world. Everyone started at the point. But some decided they’d rather be the ones who devoured others, and on and on the cycle goes. She’d been 11 when she finally realized the position she’d been assigned. And decided that she didn’t care what it took, she was going to crawl her way to the top. And no one would be able to stand in her way. Her favorite ice cream was black cherry after all. 

Amos reminded her of a vodka cherry, Delicious to bite into,but could poisonous if one indulged in too many. Amos would poison her if she let him. Sometimes she thought she might, if just for the thrill of it. But her goals towered above her same as always. Reminding her of what she had to gain. And what she had to lose.

“Isn’t everyone’s? I don’t think you’d be at a catholic school otherwise.” Diana knew that there were plenty of student’s at this school who couldn’t care less about religion. But the implication stood. When people heard ‘catholic school’ they tended to think of the religious aspect before any other.

“Francis knows everything about me.” It was true. He may even know her better then she knew herself. 

✦

“ well, consider me inconvenienced, mission successful, ” liluye mused sarcastically in response. it wasn’t that they were annoyed at diana, not in the slightest. just overall, this whole thing was annoying. and stupid. and why had they taken the card, that card was worthless. it meant nothing to anyone but them. they furrowed their brows when diana continued. “ like, just one? not a pair? ” they asked. that seemed weirder than their loss. and it completely explained diana’s stance on it all. losing a pair of shoes sucked, but losing one half of a pair? very inconvenient. you’d have to be hyper aware that you were missing one. but they hadn’t seen the shoe they described so they shook their head. “ no, sorry– i’ll keep my eye out though, ” they pledged, but a shoe wasn’t a small item to lose. surely if it was at the retreat, diana would have found it. “ maybe someone else grabbed it thinking it was theirs? ”

“I’ll add you to the list.” Diana responded to liluye’s sarcasm. Her tone wasn’t quite as sarcastic as it was joking. But depending on the mood the other one was in, it could go either way. Honestly she appreciated the fact that everyone else had a problem with it only being one shoe as well. Everyone she had talked to at least. “Just the one. Makes the other one useless.” Without the match she couldn’t wear them without looking ridiculous. “I appreciate that, have you lost anything? I’d be happy to keep an eye out as well.” She highly doubted anyone would think it was theirs. She hadn't seen anyone wearing a pair like the one she wears. It may be cliche but she did have a certain appreciation for shoes. And tended to pay attention to what others were wearing. 

“Whatever. The sisters hear me saying much worse…” he smirked. And besides, come on, I’m sure that I’m not the only one who is pissed.” Domenico shrugged. “Anyway, my bet is, we will never find out.” Or at least when they did the chance of payback will be gone.

“You didn’t?” He echoed her. “Fuck, they have been stealing too? What is it?” He frowned, wondering if anything of his was missing too. He had enough expensive stuff that wasn’t exactly easy to replace. Plus… Some things that he truly could not replace. Presents of friends. Or his signet ring… A tasty treat for a thief. “I still have to check all my stuff…” He clenched his fists and lowered his eyes. Yep he needed to take a look and fast.

“Very professional then…” He shook his head. “It’s not like this crap is something that happens in a minute…” Yeah it was messed up. “And if they have left the place empty, well, it sucks. It’s just… well I expected more from this place.

Well his school back in LA, had actual security around, but then again, it wasn’t exactly to protect the student’s belongings anyway… “Got any idea of who might have done this?” He tossed.

Diana had to suppress a roll of her eyes at the words Domenico spoke. He certainly didn’t mind his crassness. It only made it more grating that he didn’t even mind being crass in-front of a lady. The sisters may not be lady’s but she certainly was. “That’s quite pessimistic.” And likely true, loathe as she was to admit it.  There was almost nothing she hated more then not knowing something.

“Nothing irreplaceable, from what I’ve heard anyways.” Their would likely be a fair bit more of outrage if there was. So far it was mostly grumblings about the mess.” They took one of my shoes.” Keyword: one. 

“I’m sure the school is doing their best.” It was probably true, the schools best just wasn’t very good. She to had expected a response of a higher caliber. But would never verbally go against the school. That would go against the image she projected.

“Nothing solid.” Frankly Diana had no clue who had done this. They had covered their tracks well. But she alluded to having an idea anyways. She was never one to be caught unaware.

It wasn’t just Frankie that Amos tried to tear apart the cracks of a facade with. Adorned with porcelain masks, untraceable lines where porcelain edges met their skin, he’d always trace with vibrant hues trying to find those faults. He knew what it looked like, in shattered bathroom mirrors, where his smile poisons his blood.  For before Amos was destructive outbursts, something infernal imploding in on itself- he was the same kind of perfection. Carefully calculated to be adored. He still was around his father.

“Are you as faithful, Diana?” He continues to trace across her face, even in the firelight the glow caressing her skin seems so holy. They say angels have barb wired wings, and tongues for blood. Perhaps the same is true of Diana. Something made for the lord. “I believe He is always watching, how voyeuristic to watch me when I call his name. I do wonder if he’ll ever step in, or if I’m the temptation he sends.”

Amos leans closer to Diana, his whispered tone rough with his thick accent as it fills the night air. “Why do you not let me show you that the Lord watches above, and may hear your prayers. Especially when you call his name with a debauched tongue.”

    Amos reminded Diana of a dying star. Bright and shining,Wanting to be gazed upon. Wanting to be adored. Doomed to collapse into itself and burnout. Perhaps the biggest lie she told herself, was that she wasn’t going down the same path. She too, craved adoration. TO be a shining star that others gazed upon. 

She refused to back down from Amos stare. Reminding herself not to flinch under his gaze as he seemingly tried to find what was bubbling under her skin. The years of rage and hurt that had built up. She was certainly nowhere near as faithful as the sisters. But neither was Amos. “If you are the temptation, then what tempts you?” Everyone and everything was a temptation. So what got under Amos skin. 

She sucked in a breath as Amos shifted closer to her. Leaning in even deeper into her space.  She steeled her resolve to not back down. Even if he was far to close for comfort. She wouldn’t show it. He hadn’t earned the right to see into her. Exhaling slowly she met his eyes. Silently daring him to continue on with this game they played. “I do’t need you to show me the lord is watching. I already believe that he always is.”

“Well, what are you missing?” The obvious question to such a reply. Damian would help Diana look for it, of course. Once he knew what it was. In the name of the student community. And just generally wanting something else to distract him from the way he felt at the moment.

Diana was right. Undoubtedly. Damian had no idea why he wasn’t jumping at the opportunity to find and gather his own things. Especially when everything was strewn about the entire Retreat, not just the cabin floors. He swore he saw a striped button-up of his on the grass somewhere near the stairs of the cabin when he was storming off. He really hoped he wasn’t missing anything like Diana. He wouldn’t know what to tell his mother.

“Right, I know… I just– Habit, I suppose.” Something about captains being the last to leave or have a go… He couldn’t remember the phrase in total accuracy with how frazzled and out of sorts he felt. It was merely the Fenwick captain’s nature to lean towards helping others before he helped himself. Though like Diana said, that wasn’t quite useful right now. “I guess I’ll have a look at my cabin room again. See what I can gather and what I have to look for.”

Diana couldn’t fully suppress her sigh of annoyance at the thought of her missing shoe. “I’m missing a navy blue boot. “ This whole retreat experience was exhausting. First she has to deal with being out in the woods almost constantly, and now she had to deal with this mess. In every sense of the word.

Diana tried not to let herself form habits to often. Habits meant you’d be in a routine.. And she would hate to be stuck in a routine. That didn’t mean that she didn’t have any of her own. She was just far less likely to admit it then Damian was. It was almost like he had been waiting for someone to call him out with how freely he admitted it. Then again, not everyone held on tightly to every scrap of information they could get their hands on.

“Well once you know if you’re missing anything, let me know what i can do to help.” After all, she had already finished everything herself. She was in a better position to offer said assistance. And really it wasn’t if, but when. 

“One?” she questioned incredulously, it wasn’t that she hadn’t heard the other girl, it was simply that she failed to understand what the heck anybody would want with somebody’s used shoes, let alone just one of them. “My tespih,” she explained, “Prayer beads,” she clarified a moment later. “It sort of looks like a bracelet, round green stones with silver charms,” she expressed, going into detail in case the other girl had seen it somewhere. “It was on my nightstand this morning, I never lose it,” she rarely lost anything and had her meticulous, near neurotic type A tendancies to blame for that.

“My thoughts exactly.” Diana would have been far less annoyed if it had been both of them. She was glad that  the other girl continued speaking to explain what a tespih was. She would hate to have to ask what that was. Maybe this could be her something new she had learned for the day. Lord knows she never learned anything interesting in class. This tidbit wasn’t very useful but neither was half the things they learned in said class. “I’m sorry I haven’t seen anything like that lying around.I’m sure it’s lying around here somewhere.” Along with all of the other stolen items. She wasn’t naive enough to believe that they hadn’t been stolen. To many of the student’s were missing their things. “I’ll help you look for it if you want?”

𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐀’𝐒 𝐎𝐁𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐔𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐏, he nods, mouth almost in a grimace, even though he’s agreeing with her. It is a nice day, with the sun shining down on them — extra nice, considering the weather on campus and in the surrounding towns always seemed to be overcast, with a breezy chill no matter the season.

Of course, it isn’t a conversation with Diana if she didn’t mention school. All he wants is to get back to his book, but he nods, almost scared of what she’d say if he didn’t say he looked forward to it. “Um, yeah, sure.” Nodding, he runs his thumb across the spine of the book, feeling the creases underneath his fingertip. “Sounds like you’ve got something fun in store for us.” It’s a hint of sarcasm, and he hopes that she doesn’t catch it, though the chances of that are slim to none. 

If Rion had gone along with her pep maybe she would have been a little nicer. She hadn’t even decided on making club harder then usual until his sarcasm was the final nail in the coffin.  Originally she had planned on giving everyone a debate topic they would likely enjoy. She may have to rig it but instead of a normal debate topic, Rion was going to have the pleasure of trying to convince the club that cereal was soup. “Oh I do, I think you’ll enjoy it.” She practically beamed at him. She sure would at least. “What are you reading?” Maybe asking would get him to stop decimating said book. 

Left in this world, abandoned by angels for the wolves to find, Amos knew there were worse things in this world than the lord. A man indifferent to it all, with his back turned and words made to grace lips and paint their words as something ethereal. He knew of those men that praised the existence of God only to tread where he once walked. Men like his father that filled the place of the lord when he was nowhere to be seen.

Power hungry and made to be worshiped.

These were the things Amos would try to be, his blonde hair, his too sharp smile. But his glistening skin, and red flush would all pave way to the truth. He was nothing more than a sacrifice to be made at the altar of a self proclaimed god.

“Do you suggest Sister Michael tempts on behalf of sin? She tests our faith to stay us from Him? A woman so devout? You accuse her of such blasphemy?” He’d memorise those verses, the words spoken of the Lord and his followers.  Amos would remember them to impress his father, and play that role of the perfect son. But the smile quirks to his lips at the other’s memory herself. She’d always be this, too perfect.

“What kind of tests do you face, Diana? Has He given you strength each time?”

Talking with Amos was beginning to give her a headache. It’s generally why she tried to avoid long conversations with him. She enjoyed the conversation as it was more stimulating then others. But at the same time, it was that much harder to keep up the image of perfection. She knew what he was trying to do to Frankie. She wasn’t sure if she supported it or not. She’d have to keep an eye on it.

Diana knew better then to think of herself as truely perfect. Not matter how hard she tried to bury them, she herself did have flaws. Even if they would likely never see the light of day. The image of perfection was good enough for her. But someday she wouldn’t only be perfect. She would be magnificent. 

“Nobody is untempted by sin. Not even Sister Michael. Sister Michael is just so faithful that it hardly even phases her anymore.” She honestly hated Sister Michael. She was always making bad decisions. But because she was in charge most of them had to act like they were good ones.

“The lord always gives me strength Amos. Dose he give you yours? Or do you believe he has abandoned you like so many do.” Diana wondered if he realized this here was a test. Not one of faith, but one of facades. She’d had hers long enough to tell when there was something lurking under the surface. It was only a matter of time before one of them showed it. She refused to let it be her.

Frankie grinned. “I know.” Although there were many little things that ate away at him. He wasn’t really perfect, but he honestly tried to be with all his heart. Diana was a part of the puzzle that was the solution to perfection. He had the perfect girlfriend, the perfect grades and was on the right track to success. The only flaw was that perfection rarely equated to happiness.

He ate his lunch in silence as he thought about that. “I never thought senior year would be like this. I imagined we would finally be on top and we’d have it easy.” Nothing about this was easy. “You think some of the freshmen are gullible enough?”

The illusion of perfection was hard to maintain. It’s one of the reasons she loved spending time with Frankie in their secluded little spot. Here they could let some of there walls fall down in the safety of the garden. No one was here to see the cracks in the facade. 

“Frankie you know better then that, Nothing worth it is ever easy.” And Senior year was going to be worth all the effort. Even if she had to put up with this silly retreat. So far the benefits far outweighed the cons. “Oh I’m sure they are. Not everyone could be like us as freshmen.” Not everyone was forced to grow up with the lie of perfection. They wouldn’t know how to talk there way out of it. 

they supposed, out of all their belongings, the tarot card wasn’t that important. they were attached to it, of course, it wasn’t just decorative to liluye. all their belongings held some meaning to them. they thought that at least it wasn’t the crocheted blanket now returned to their bed. at least it wasn’t the turquoise necklace, or any of the precious things they’d brought from home in the antique trinket box now once again safely stored under their bed. at least it wasn’t the school uniform or running shoes they couldn’t really afford to replace. but it was still unnerving, and more than that liluye was upset by it. 

but like most of the emotions liluye felt, they squished them down beneath stoney surface. “ i don’t see why, ” they commented. “ i just– what’s the point, you know? ” they tagged onto the question diana had started with. how someone could do it was fairly easy to them. people were assholes. but why take things? a stupid tarot card. they struggled to understand that. they sighed, they supposed it didn’t matter right now. “ did you find all your things? ” 

“I think they’re point was probably to inconvenience us.” Diana couldn’t think of any other reason someone had take such a random assortment of useless items. Her shoes may have been useful but not with only one of them stolen. Her stolen Item almost felt a little Cinderella. What with the single missing shoe. She doubted she’d be falling in love with whoever had done this.

“I haven’t found everything. I’m missing a shoe. You haven't happened to seen it have you?” Diana knew it was a long shot and her shoe was likely with all of the other stolen item s hidden somewhere. But it never hurt to ask. Unless said question made her look like a fool. “Its a Navy Blue boot with a small heel?”

“At least your observation skills weren’t stolen along with the rest of our stuff, Di, this is awful, very astute,” Fikkir commented rather bitterly, her words dripping with sarcasm as she bent over to pick up a Broadripple field hockey hoodie that looked a lot like hers, judging by the bleach stain on the back of the arm. The stain was from the days before she’d learned how to do her own laundry without destroying her entire wardrobe in one way or another and on any other occasion seeing it might have made her smile but she was pissed.

“Have you got anything missing? Literally, everybody I’ve spoken to has said there’s something they can’t find no matter how hard they look. It’s weird,” 

Diana had to suppress a roll of her eyes. To her it seemed like the cooks must put sarcasm dust in the food the way the students relied on it. It was almost like you couldn’t come to broadripple without at the very least taking an introductory course in it. Diana didn’t have the energy to come up wiht a sweet response to that so she opted to just smile at her. 

“I lost a shoe. And what are you missing?” Diana could understand how bitter Fikkir was. She herself was almost ready to boil over. This whole situation was absolutely ridiculous. It’d only been a few hours since they had discovered everything and she was exhausted. 

      “ invading people’s privacy is a perversion in itself.  if they were only trying to give us a headache then they should have ,   i don’t know ,  tp’d our cabins or something. ”    her previous ardor tone had shifted when the girl had mentioned what’s been taken from her.   she didn’t mean to laugh. evident by how her lips pressed together into a thin line to stifle a giggle, with no advail.     “  one of your shoes ?  so they either have a foot-fetish or they’re a one-legged, fucking, yeti ?  ”   it was the mere thought of someone running off with one shoe that did it for catty.

judging by her visage, this didn’t seem like a matter that diana was interested in laughing at.    a shrug when she mentions to check what’s missing,     her arms pushing into the pocket of the jacket she zipped on.      “ i didn’t bring anything important, really.  all of my sentimental shit was left at home.  ”       this wasn’t to say the idea of having a break-in didn’t bother her.   it did,  but she’ll save that wrath for someone more responsible.     " they can have my shitty photo albums if they want them. ”

“Fair enough.” Diana really didn’t see the benefits of continuing that minuscule disagreement so she choose to just let it go. Besides in a way, she was right.  They really could have chosen another route to give them a headache. Although this one was certainly more effective then tping everything would have been. She couldn’t help but to be annoyed at the sound of the girls laughter.  She would have tolerated it, or maybe even agreed if it had been aimed at someone else. Instead it was just grating to her ears. “Yes I suppose it is kind of funny.” She laughed at the statement. No one needed to know it wasn’t at what Cat had said, but instead of how obviously she had tried to hide it.

Diana couldn’t help but doubt that she didn’t really care. Everyone cared about there things. At least on some level Anyone with self respect that is. And those were really the only ones worth talking to. “ Well let me know if I can help you find anything!” Diana gave a seemingly sincere smile. The good girl Always offered to help.

MAXIMO: as ur probably aware, administration is on a hunt for the culprits responsible for the ransacking.

MAXIMO: they r putting pressure on house captains to encourage students involved to step up.

MAXIMO: speak now or forever hold ur peace.

MAXIMO: i'm willing to help any1 who comes to me work out an alibi or reasonable excuse/lie but if u get caught before then, u're on ur own. so choose wisely ig.

Diana: I doubt anyone is going to come forward

Diana: But let me know if I can help any!