again and again

He holds his hands up and takes a step back from Camille, then takes a precautionary glance over each shoulder. It’s for show, he knows Madison is under the fairy lights in the backyard chatting up some of the other guests. “Don’t let Maddie hear you, she worked her cute little butt off to try and make it as ‘Chella-thentic as possible.” It’s damn near close, sans a ferris wheel and huge stages with performing artists, but Finn loves the effort behind it.

“Of course. It is getting me excited for the real thing, and I hope I can get a photographer pass again this year. Did you catch the line-up? Yo Gabba Gabba is the curveball I did not expect.”

Jared was nervous. That was a given, and Cami's acceptance of his last minute decision to ask her out for a meal only heightened that. He may have posed the question the day before, but he didn't dare admit that he'd actually secured a reservation for Neptune months in advance. Just in case.

"Hey," he greeted. "You look great. You, uh, ready to go?"

"Thank you." She couldn't help blush because she did make sure she wore the best outfit, and, she loved her compliments from him. "I'm definitely ready." She said as she placed her purse over her shoulder. "Are you ready?" She asked. She was ready to shut the door behind them and get this show on the road. @jaredx

"I am so sorry to say, the floral decorations are fake. Please don't be disappointed in me."

Finn sticks out his bottom lip into a fake sulk about his use of plastic decor. It was more financially sound, and Madison was so kind to decorate so he wouldn't have dared to asked for anything insane in terms of what she should use. The lights and palm trees (the few potted ones are real, note) and the balloon arch in the backyard all look like mini replicas of Coachella valley.

"Your feelings are valid, Cam. So yes. you are allowed to feel scared. It's...also a good thing? I think? To not only feel scared but to acknowledge your...missteps." She told her carefully. "Being scared means it's important to you. Like when I first started dating Wes...I know he was scared of how serious things were getting." She knew he still sometimes was. "And I was scared too. I was scared of the change, and letting someone get close to me again. But again, it's because I knew it was important...and different. Things are different with him than with anyone else, and so maybe...things with Jared are different for you than with anyone else? And yes you made a mistake in the past...but it's in the past. You can't hold it against yourself for forever. And...you can't think he's holding it against you forever? Have you talked about it? Everything? The past....now. Does..he have feelings for you too, do you know? Or are you just gonna stay in this emotional limbo forever."

"I'm pretty sure he does." And if she was misreading the whole situation then she would have to seriously take a seat and understand how she got it wrong. Unless he was just using her which would suck, considering they had hooked up. "I guess I should pull him for a more serious conversation." She frowned at the thought of it all going completely wrong. "But I don't think I'm ready for that. Thinking about it makes me want to cry and throw up." She shook her head as she turned towards the exit.

"Yeah, course. No problem."

As if he'd say no to her, pft.

"Oh, shit. Didn't even see your eyes." A blatant lie. He'd been trying to catch glimpses of them since she joined him. "They look cool, I like the green. It's very you... you know, planty. You're like a fairy princess, or whatever those call those things that hang around the woodlands." There was a compliment in there somewhere that seemed to get lost within his words.

"Anyway..." His head tilted, as he gestured to the bar. "Shall we go and get the princess a drink? What are you having?"

"Fae people?" She definitely saw herself as a fairy. The fae world scared her though if there was constant violence as depicted in some books about fairies. "You're right though. I think I'd make the perfect fairy." She said with a smile, as her cheeks filled with color because she did love the compliment. It made her feel seen.

Nodding, she thought for a moment, "This fairy," she liked the princess bit, but he was spot on the first time, "will take a red wine." She would keep it consistent tonight. She bit her lower lip as she went to interlock her elbow with his. "I hope you don't mind if I hold onto you?" @jaredx

"No, not really." She was sure to keep her pace with Erica's. "When I went to school in Colorado, I had some friends," ex-fiance, "who showed me some frozen lakes out there during winter and we would skate on some." It was one of her favorite memories of College. "And trust me, it was scary so this is a lot less risk." @ericaxmanning

"I'm starting a book club this year." Lucy holds out the pamphlet she seems very proud of, as she spent more than a week fiddling with it on photoshop. "It's okay if you're not interested, maybe you know someone that might?"

"I was just grabbing a drink." He said, gesturing to the beer bottle in his hand. His eyes wandered throughout her dress, and wanted to remark on how beautiful she looked. Instead, he gave her a nod. "I like your outfit... it suits you, you look like..." He paused. "You look like a princess."

"Oh, will you grab one with me?" She needed one and she'd much rather have his company than anyone else's. He could probably get her a drink faster than she could too. "A princess?" She blushed as she looked down at her dress.

While Erica had done some roller skating in her youth, when her blade hit the ice, it felt very different. Still, she managed to stay upright, somewhat impressed with herself. "God, I hope I don't get frostbite on my ass." She mused with somewhat of a smirk, taking a few small skated steps forward. @ithinkitscami

“Oh I’m definitely getting bruises on my ass and knees.” She laughed as she finally made contact with the ice. Her body slightly jolting at the change of turf. “Whoa.” She held her hands out to her side as she looked at Erica, “it’s not bad. I can hold your hand to help.” She said as she held one hand towards her. @ericaxmanning

where: seascape, nye

"Wooow," Lucky compliments, the elongation of the word was in cahoots with his alcohol intake, the champagne from the evening starting to catch up with him which abolished his penchant for second guessing whether he should or shouldn't strike up conversation, "That's a great outfit. Very groovy. I don't know if that's the right word."

Oh well, it's the one that was out there now.

No pun intended.

She hated the question that followed. It was easier to get to a party by oneself and then find a friend and ask them to take you home or walking home was always an option. An option that most of her friends feared for her but as long as she had pepper spray and a knife - she was good.

"Well, I arrived by myself." That probably wasn't what he was expecting her to say, but it was best not to assume in any way. "But I'm sure I'll find someone to tag along with."

At least she hoped.

Jared entered the ballroom, his eyes wandering around the many people that weren't her. He kept walking, in the hopes that Camille would make an appearance in his vision and he could finally enjoy himself - because truth be told, he'd only come to spend his new year's eve in some fantasy land because he wanted to be with her, or at least in her presence, maybe sneak a dance with her. If she'd let him.

Fortunately, it didn't take him long to locate the missing piece of his night, and as he began to approach her, he started to get a feeling of nerves in the pit of his stomach. Play it cool, Jared.

"Hey," he said, giving her a small wave. "Thought I'd never find you. Not that I was looking for you, I was just - you know, wondering where you were."

She was making her way towards the front to take a bit of a break from the crowd when she saw Jared coming right at her. Her stomach flipped whether it was out of anxiety or excitement - she chose to smile because she did want to see him.

Waving back, her mouth twitched slightly as she held back a giggle. Wondering about her? She liked the sound of that.