razzmatazz

"They don't but they talk like they do, they say ridiculous things and act like they know me personally. They don't. They see a couple videos or pictures, they watch a few interviews and they think they know anything about me. They don't. I would never hurt either of those girls, I would never lay a single finger on them. They were my sisters. I love them. How dare they think I would ever hurt either of them." She finished her little rant and took a few deep breaths, she had a lot of built up tension that seemed to come out the moment she spoke with Finley. He was somebody she cared about, he cared for her and they understood each other. "I will try.. It'll be tough for me to get through."

"they're all doing it for clicks, get a reaction they want outta you, z." it's one of the many things finley picked up on while he was back in LA. it looked bad for zehra, all the gossip, not just online but worse, it town. as much as both of them, more importantly, zehra knew that the people closest to her know her more than anything one anyone else, he could only imagine how this was all affecting her. "i know, z. but you've got us, you've got me to lean on, yeah?" he sighs, patting his hand on her shoulder. "elena and sasha would've loved this." he now gives her a small, sad smile. "but...if you want out, go home...just tell me, okay?"

She wasn't sure why, but she hadn't expected for him to be so nice; god knows how she might've been had she been on the other end of this cheesecake scenario— and spoiler, it wouldn't be near as graceful. It was that initial wave that had her lower lip sticking out, empathy gaining traction. "Wait, no, I mean... I'm sure they totally have more in the back." Scout looked at her tiny dessert then threw a look over at her shoulder, towards the flippy-floppy doors she's seen the waiters coming in and out of.

"it's fine. s'just some cheesecake. just take it." finley does his best to end the conversation as early as it started, not just because he was in a fight with jordan moments ago and cleaned himself up before donning the mask back on, wanting to just go along with the party, but this encounter was something he didn't expect for tonight. he didn't expect to see scout again after all this time, after she decided to leave him the moment he needed her the most. he learned to just be back on his own, and that has been the care for some time now, he didn't need this again, the painful reminder of how...good things in his life are only temporary.

There wasn't much of a chance for Jordan to snap back again. Between the punches the two were giving each other and the way the alcohol wanted to make him sway a lot more than he would have been, he needed to focus on the actions more than the words. One second the two of them were exchanging hits that would leave evidence of their fight for weeks and the next Jordans arm was being yanked and he could hear a familiar voice yelling to him. He didn't realize that Billie had been the one to force things to come to an end until they were already leaving the area and Finley behind.

There were a mixture of things fueling Jordans rage right now. Heathers name leaving his lips, all the pent-up hatred he held for Zehra for what happened to Sasha, and then there was the alcohol. He had spent weeks reeking of whatever poison he was picking that day and today was no different. "You fucking her too, Finley? Is that it? Got your hands all over a fucking murderer." He wiped his face, spitting the blood out on the floor that was pooling up inside his mouth from the hits he had received. Shoving him back, he threw some more of his own. If he was going to leave this bloody, so was Finley. "I guess when she said side whore, she was taking about herself."

"you've got some fucking nerve when you're the one tryin' to fuck a murderer's sister!" normally finley would avoid conflicts, it was what he's sworn to himself upon arriving to hidehill, avoid having attention to himself and just do his job, especially when zehra and her management gave him a chance to work for her. the recent events gave him a little bit more pressure than usual, ensuring the safety of zehra now that the world was watching her, especially after the deaths of sasha and elena, how people now were believing these lies, and of course, jordan would believe them, too. once more, punches were returned, and finley's regard for safety went out the window, the taste of blood in his mouth not registering to him yet.

@finleypark

"they're all dumb fucks, z, it's the media tryna poison them with lies, they don't know the truth like we do." finley couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh, looking around as people were indeed giving the singer those stares that were motivated by something that isn't even close to the truth. zehra wouldn't do such thing to harm two of the people she loves most, and regardless of working under her for such short time, finley knows enough that the woman isn't capable to doing those things accused against her. he hated that he couldn't protect the other this way, finley just wanted to do his job right. "focus on the performance later, on what matters most, z."

"You mean to tell me that this hot, rich blonde girl was striding around town and you didn't try to get into her pants? I'm shocked Finley, truly," Lainey teased. Resisting an opportunity to make a dig at Finley was a strength the brunette just did not possess. There was something about the coy smile it omitted from him that was somewhat endearing; but that was never to be admitted to anyone. "Maybe you're right," she mused, still gazing into the immortalised bright blues of Tiffany's gleaming eyes. "Maybe that's worse than those two boys killing her. Getting her spotlight taken away. Poor thing."

"i would never dare dip into that pond, lainey." finley knew it was part of lainey's little teasing, but he was true to his word. regardless of his nature around women, there were more things he's focused on right now, especially with sasha and elena's deaths, he's kept his attention on zehra longer. "s'just an observation, she looks like she doesn't wanna share things, but that's just the vibe, m'not one to judge." he was not good at it anyway. the portrait of tiffany that the conrads have up was a struggle to look away from, especially how alive it looked, contrast to how she was found that day.

location: the conrad masquerade ball, dessert table closed: @finleypark

finley was trying to enjoy the ball prepared by the conrads for their daughter for tonight, adjusting to the fact that he isn't working, that he was actually a guest this time. the man has almost never left lainey's side the whole night, and this is one of those few times, needing a refill of his drink, and maybe some of the tiny appetizers people won't shut up about.

Jordan knew that this was the last thing he should be doing. He knew that he needed to walk away, but he couldn't get his legs to move. Instead, he could feel the adrenaline start to rush through him, the kind only a fight could bring him. "I'm not hiding from shit." He snapped back, the Heather comment hitting him low and hard only for Finleys punch to hit even harder. Leaving it to Jordan to have picked a fight with the trained bodyguard in the room. Grabbing the other by the collar of his shirt, he returned the blow and followed it with another. If he was going to get caught fighting tonight, he was damn sure going to make it worth it.

"that's something a fuckin' pussy would say." the little snap in his head sends finley into a blackout, just taking in the blows returned to him by the other, he wasn't feeling anything now, but it sure would be something that he's going to regret later when the adrenaline of this interaction passes. all finley wanted was to protect zehra from everything, and it included this, from people who would think she'll do something that'll cause the death of the girls who were basically part of her. "shut your fucking mouth about zehra, you don't fucking know her." finley shoves jordan the second the second time and once more responds with strikes of his own, aiming for jordan's face. "don't...fucking talk about her again."

The aggression in Finleys voice was expected, it was the shove that really threw Jordan off. Due to Jordans height, there weren't a lot of people in town that really had the nerve to step to him when he ran his mouth. It almost made him laugh the way that he had managed to get himself into a fight so early into the night. Yet he still continued down the path that he had just claimed he wasn't going to go down tonight. "Sorry man, I thought you were just her bodyguard. I didn't realize you were her bitch too." Stepping back towards the other, he shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't going to be the first to swing, he couldn't get caught with that kind of trouble, but he didn't mind being the one to antagonize the action.

it was a response that finley never got the chance to process much about the words that just left jordan's mouth as before he knows it, the shove was immediately followed by a punch, the anger due to the man's words was the only thing he could focus on. he was not having it, the people trying to connect the deaths of sasha and elena to zehra, who has done nothing but mourn over it for the past couple of weeks, and has been scared that he was around her as much as possible. "well aren't you heather's bitch, too? scared of getting your ass caught drunk? i guess it takes a little bitch to know one." his voice has now gotten louder, and for sure people have their attention set on them now. "i'm not the fucking boozer who's hiding from someone right now."

Lifting up his suit jacket, Jordan took a sniff. "Yeah, I smell great." He shrugged, not feeling too bothered by the whole situation he was putting himself into with many people tonight. "Right, right. I'm really not that worried about her." Although it was a lie, he acted as if pissing off Heather was something that wouldn't ruin the evening for him. "I haven't really fucked up yet anyway. Can't be too hard to stay on this path, huh." He shook his head, trying not to laugh at his own words. Only the people closest to Jordan knew the way he felt about Finleys boss. The way he hated her, blamed her for the fate that Sasha had met. He had been good at keeping his comments to himself, but with how quickly the alcohol had rushed through Jordan tonight he found it harder to keep himself quiet. "I'm fine, man. It's you I should be worried about, I assume you are stuck working under some contract with that.. with Zehra. I can't imagine another reason anyone would continue to work with a murderous bitch."

"whatever you say man, i'm not the one gettin' in trouble." finley says, not really wanting to converse with the obviously drunk jordan anymore, knowing how this is potentially a recipe for trouble. the next words that leave his lips makes the bodyguard freeze in place, as silence now was filled between them. finley had been tense ever since the deaths of sasha and then elena, knowing that a little mishap and he could potentially fuck up his job. he had been to every place zehra has went to for the past couple of weeks, making sure that she was safe. tonight was an exception. but what jordan says really hits a nerve, and before he knows it, he was already disregarding his glass along with his mask before launching towards the other. "you fucking take that back, you asshole." finley's voice was now firmer, louder than usual, shoving jordan. "and keep your fucking mouth shut."

The mention of his current state of drunk made his head snap from the crowd of people back to the other. "What are you talking about, dude?" He tried to laugh as if it was something ridiculous that Finley was saying. Completely unaware of the stench the alcohol was giving off from him and the way his words had already slightly started slurring. "Haven't had a single drop to drink." A grin spread over his lips as if he was proud of himself, despite that the entire sentence was a complete lie. "And if Heather askes, I've been on my absolute best behavior." He leaned back against the ledge behind him, setting his mask down behind him before returning his attention back to his current company. "You drinking tonight? Or are you stuck working for the popstar?"

"have you taken a little sniff of yourself, brudder?" finley questions with a grimace, eyeing jordan from head to toe once more. he was able to sneaky into the party without anyone knowing, but the smell of alcohol was really hard to miss, something that the bodyguard immediately picked up on. "you gotta work up on your lies, if it's not workin' for a guy, imagine how successful you're gonna be with girls, man--and heather?" he grimaces, pausing for a moment to take a sip of his champagne. "not my monkeys, not my circus. i ain't gonna be part of whatever shit you're in trouble with." he lets out a laugh, stepping back just a little bit. "got a date, she's right--" finley raises and eyebrow at jordan's question, a reaction concealed by his max. "what do you mean stuck working? man...you doin' okay? for real?"

status: open

"never really knew her, but i've seen her around before." finley shrugs, staring towards lainey's direction and the portrait of the daughter of the conrads, the one they're celebrating this masquerade for, for tiffany. people had their own ways to grieve, cope with someone's death, and this was a way that isn't surprising for him at this point, knowing people back in LA that shares the same personality with people like them... "i don't know, but i have a feeling she'd want more." he shrugs, taking a sip of his own drink. "you think she'd want to share the spotlight with the others?"