Born With Tragedy in My Blood

“Gina, I love you and you’re a great friend but I absolutely do think you would do that just for giggles.” he chuckled as his heart rate finally slowed to a normal level. He followed her to the office and grinned as she explained what she was thinking and how real the opportunity really was. “Wow,” he said under his breath as he processed what she was telling him. “Wow, okay. We’ll be the first ones to do a big signing in here? Are you sure– I mean, do you really think people will come?” Wyatt knew the numbers were high and that tons of people in and out of Rosewood were reading their comics but still, he couldn’t help but feel like he wasn’t deserving of this level of promotion or attention.

“Probably should’ve stopped at I’m a great friend, because now I’m kinda regretting asking you.” She teased, sticking out her tongue for good measure. “Yep the first ones. And of course people will come. It’s new, popular, and you’re homegrown. Rosewood always shows out for it’s own. Plus, with an elevated online presence, people from out of town, too. Maybe even Chicago fans will make the trip.”

As promised, Wyatt put on pants before he left the house and drove over to the shop as fast as he could. It didn’t take long to find Gina but he wished it had because he was still catching his breath somewhat when he stopped running in front of her. “Okay, you know me, this isn’t as embarrassing because it’s you. Let me have that.” he said with what would have been a laugh if he wasn’t still panting a bit. “So, go on, tell me the details. Is this really for real?” @ginasomethingbetter

“Nope. But because I feel bad about drinking a whole bottle of wine with Jessie and not you, I’ll let you share.” He took a long gulp from the drink, leaving just enough for her to get a few sips out of. “Out of the goodness of my heart. Whatcha reading?”

“You and Jessie shared a whole bottle of wine? And neither of you were hospitalized or killed? Honestly, I’m just proud.” She laughed, rolling her eyes as she took the remainders of his drink. “Gee, thanks. Just a dumb book I found. Why aren’t you still at the party?”

“no, i don’t,” lennon answers as he joins gina on the floor, facing her and finds himself in a similar position. through an extended hand, he offers her the glass, not really wanting it to begin with. “what are you reading, anyway? i think in cold blood is in the next aisle, if the dewey decimal system hasn’t failed me,“ says lennon, trying to get a peek at the cover. ”… unless i’ve actually caught you reading a romance novel filled with all that mushy gushy stuff. please tell me it isn’t so, ross.“  

She smiles, leaning forward to accept the glass from him and taking a small sip. “Is that what you were looking for? In the mood for some Capote in the middle of a party?” She asks in a teasing tone. “As summer mood as reading romance novels is, and as much as I actually like mushy stuff, no. I’m saving the desperate sexual frustration for my forties.” She laughs, showing him the cover of My Best Friend’s Exorcism.

“These were both for me, actually,” October said, holding up the two drinks in her hands, “but I guess I’m feeling nice.” She smiled as she handed one of them over to Gina, peering over her shoulder. “I’m no expert, but I don’t think you’re supposed to read at a party. Which is obviously all more reason to do it.”

“Lucky me.” She returned the smile, accepting the glass from October. “Beats reading alone at home, I guess. It’s almost like I’m being social this way. You know, from a safe distance.”

“I did. But it’s cool. I’d rather save my mess for the end of the summer party when all the real shit goes down.” Nixon smiled, pulling one of the books off the shelf at random before he sat across from her. “Do I seem like that kind of monster,” he scoffed dramatically before ripping a page free from the book and setting to work. “What’s up with you? Because this whole sitting alone at a party thing isn’t really the vibe you wanna give off unless you want people to start thinking you’re a loner.”

“I feel like I should be proud that you’ve begun to prioritize your mess.” She rolled her eyes despite the amused smile on her lips, nudging his knee with her foot when he ripped a page from a random book. “I can’t be a loner, you’re here. See? I’m being social.”

Wyatt laughed as he sat down next to her, “I was actually going to finish these both myself but now that I’ve seen you here looking so hopelessly alone I think I have to share, don’t I?” He chuckled and handed over the extra glass. “I saw you from over there – it’s not a great hiding place – and figured you might need to be brought back to the party before you get locked in the library because you got too lost in that book. What are you reading, anyway?”

“I feel like I might be doing you a favor by taking one off your hands. A library isn’t really the place for a Risky Business moment.” She laughed, taking the glass and nudging him gently with her shoulder. “It’s less of a hiding spot and more of a ‘I need a break’ spot. And let’s be honest, there are worse places to be locked in than a library.” She placed the copy of My Best Friend’s Exorcism in Wyatt’s lap as she took a sip from the glass.

Parties still weren’t really Jessie’s thing. Sure she was trying to branch out more and opening up to new experiences. But mostly she went to this one to make sure idiots didn’t go all Fahrenheit 451 on the books. “Nope. Just my own. But I don’t mind sharing. As long as you don’t mind catching my cooties.” She said with a smile as she sat down next to Gina. “What are you reading? Must be pretty good if you’re able to drown out everything else.”

“Your cooties are my cooties. That’s how real friendship works right?” She laughed, leaning her head on Jessie’s shoulder as soon as she was seated next to her. “Drowning everything out is a secret talent of mine.” She chuckled, though she wasn’t really joking. It’s a skill she’d perfected at a young age. It was the only way to stay sane in her house. “I’m not sure it’s as interesting as the title suggests, but I’m only two chapters in.”

“Yeah, that’s gonna be a no from me, boss. Sadly I’m the DD for the night so the only drink touching my hand is water. But I was about to roll one if you want in on that, though. Nothing screams self-reflection like getting stoned in a library.”

“You’re the DD? Did you lose a bet?” She asked him with a laugh, closing the book in her lap and setting it aside. “As long as you’re planning to use these literary classics for rolling papers.” She teased, motioning for him to sit with her.

“That’s not my fault. We can talk if you want to talk. It’s not like we never talk.” She knew she was grasping at straws to keep the right to be mad at him because if she wasn’t just mad at him then she had to contend with the truth of the situation. Her eyes narrowed as she considered what he said along with everything else she was processing. “It’s pertinent.” she said simply. “Even if I’m not trying to be her step-mom it’s pertinent.” She paused a few seconds longer and let her eyes actually stay on the kid across from her and she pursed her lips. “She’s not hideous, so that’s lucky. Who’s the baby mama?”

“I'm sorry.” He apologized, which was already a strange move on his part, seeing as he didn’t do it often. “I should’ve told you. I was wrong.” He added, taking a breath as he reached over to run a hand over his daughter’s hair. “My ex. We tried the whole real relationship thing, it was a disaster so it ended, but now we get to do the whole co-parenting thing.” He answered honestly, he’d never had any intention of doing otherwise, but including a little more details than he normally would’ve to try to amend the previous communication issue. “Now it’s your turn.”

“About a year?” she repeated, her voice colored with disbelief and sarcasm. “You’ve been a dad the whole time I’ve known you and you never said anything to me? What the fu–” her eyes flashed to the baby girl who, while completely out of place in her mental picture of Ripley, was kind of cute. “What the heck?” She corrected. “Yeah, my chosen methods of transportation aren’t what we’re talking about now, sorry to you and you literal child. Why haven’t you said anything to me about her? You’re inside me at least twice a week and yet, this is too intimate?” 

“There’s a lot of things about my life outside of your bedroom that we’ve never discussed. Like almost all of it in fact. It’s not like conversation is a big part of our relationship at this point.” He reasoned, trying not to laugh at the way she tried to sensor herself in front of Gage. “I’m not hiding shit from you, you know. It just didn’t seem like pertinent information. I mean, unless you want to get to know her, spend time with her, be in her life, then what does it matter if I have a daughter or not?”

Noelle scoffed, “Stalking you? You wish. My dad’s restaurant is right up the street and I happened to feel like walking instead of driving today and look who I see.” She gestured to him even though it wasn’t a great mystery. In her anger she definitely blind to the child right next to Ripley but she was almost too far gone to even process the word he’d used. She was momentarily disarmed by the shock as she looked from him to the child and back to him. “I’m sorry, what?” Her eyes widened and she was suddenly glaringly aware of her surroundings which caused her to sit down and lower her voice. “What the fuck do you mean your daughter? Since when have you had a daughter?”

Ripley was just relieved that she agreed to sit down and physically relaxed, despite her obvious confusion. “About a year.” He informed her, shrugging his shoulders slightly, before turning to smile at the little girl, who was watching Noelle with curiosity. “This is Gage. And I think if I explained it to her, she’d agree that the whole ‘I decided to walk instead of drive’ thing sounds pretty similar to what a stalker would say.” He joked, probably more at ease with the current situation than he should’ve been.

Noelle wasn’t used to hearing the word ‘no’ so the few times it happened stuck out in her mind. None of the times she’d been told no in her memory had ever been by a guy she wanted to fuck so this one stuck out even more. What the fuck better did Ripley have to do with his day than come over and fuck her until they both couldn’t anymore? It was annoying and frustrating and she needed to get it off her mind so she dressed up in something elegant yet impossibly sexy for dusk, and headed to her father’s restaurant to sit at the bar and drink free while, hopefully, luring in someone to pass the time. The no was already nagging at the back of her mind so it was no surprise the alarm bells were ringing when she saw Ripley sitting in the window of a little came on the way to her destination. She wasn’t going to give him the gift of a glance but something (her anger) drew her inside and right in front of him “Are you fucking kidding me?” she asked in a harsh whisper. “You’re too busy sitting like a loner in a cafe? Fucking ghost next time it’ll take less effort.” @ginasomethingbetter

If Ripley could’ve jumped out the window without looking like a bitch he would’ve. He hated feeling cornered and with an angry Noelle standing right in front of him, that’s exactly what he was. “Are you stalking me now?” He asked, not even bothering to see if other people were staring. He could guarantee that they were, but at this point it was unavoidable. He couldn’t tell her chill without making things worse. The odds of her showing up here were small, so obviously the universe had it in for him, he just had to be thankful Noelle showed up after his ex had left. “I’m busy hanging out with my daughter.” He stated, nodding towards the small child in a high chair at the end of the table that she had obviously neglected to notice. It wasn’t like he could lie his way out of it or that he necessarily wanted to. He wasn’t ashamed that he had a kid, but it wasn’t exactly something he and Noelle had discussed up until now. “So do you want to sit down? I promise you can keep berating me if you like.

“I can’t say I’ve ever seen that movie.” Valentina shook her head. “But it sounds like quite the classic. I might have to give it a watch once this is all over and done with.” She nodded as the guy spoke of the soundtrack. “How not bad are we speaking? Like Hans Zimmer not bad?” Valentina asked him, raising an eyebrow.

“I would suggest being inebriated first, but that’s also a personal choice.” He laughed, shrugging his shoulders. “More like M.C. Hammer not bad. Probably a little more low brow than you usually go for.”

“You can bet this was Naomi’s idea and not mine.” Cliff sighed, not even bothering to glance down to get another look at his outfit. His reaction had been the same ever since he was forced to put it on, and he had a feeling it wouldn’t change unless he got something in his system. “I believe she called it ‘lazy, but make it Elvis.’”

Fox nodded, though it was obviously he was holding back his laughter. “That’s definitely...a look.” He agreed, reaching out to tug on one of his sleeves. “The scowl is really what sells it though.”

“Gotta admit I’m pretty disappointed by how few dudes went for the Audrey look, I mean obviously she’s the superior choice,” Percy said loudly as he swayed a bit in the dress that basically matched Sage’s. “And it’s a miss opportunity because this breeze I’m feeling is amazing.”

“I’m sure most of the guys here are starting to realize they should’ve followed your lead.” Gina chuckled, linking her arm with his. “If only for the breeze.”