my little lost soul is back and better than ever ! three characters now-- i don’t even know who i am anymore. 

{ elizabeth lail ♔ 25 ♔ she/her } well, well, well if it isn’t mercy williams running around peach hollow. legend has it, they come from tangerine towers and have lived here for most of her life  . if you’re wondering what they’ve been up to, i hear they’re a book clerk for a living. they have been known to be closed off yet talkative . a word of advice to them, always look over your shoulder. you never know who is watching.

there’s the sparks notes version of her below, but i’d encourage you to read the FULL BIO because it’s way better. i promise. ( triggers below: death, drunk driving, car accident ) .

Maybe when he saw her mother in obituary section of the paper, he hadn’t put two and two together. Mercy had talked about her, of course, but in Malcolm’s narrow mind at the time perhaps he’d over looked it. He felt a nervous pang in his chest, but he tried to stand his ground regardless. “Sorry ‘bout that.” His demeanor was cold, which was unlike him. He knew what it was like to lose a parent so you think he would have showcased a bit more sympathy. “The only answer was to hurt those who care about you?” Malcolm repeated slowly. “That wasn’t the answer. That shouldn’t have even been an option.”

“Me too.” Not much else Mercy could say on the matter, merely brushing off his remarks with nothing but a shrug of her shoulder. The loss of her mother had been something she mourned years before the woman actually died. “Malcolm..” she said softly, her tone of voice sounding as if it were pleading for him to understand. Those light eyes reflecting the same emotion. “There so was so much goin’ on at the time and I just needed an escape. Runnin’ away was the only thin’ I thought I could do.” It was the only thing she could do. The tears she’d been so desperately trying to hold back began to spill over her lids, but a hand immediately rose to wipe them away. Mercy knew exactly what she’d been getting herself into by returning home and for that, she didn’t deserve to cry.   “It’s just -- you wouldn’t understand.” No one would. No one would be able to understand why it hurt so much to just walk down the streets of Peach Hollows, having to be stuck in the same small town she had tried so hard to leave behind. Or why the only thing that seemed to run through her mind was taking the first opportunity she could find to leave again. Just the mere thought of it was enough to have a broken laugh slip past her lips as Mercy wiped away more tears.

he couldn’t really blame her .   with everything that’s been happening at peaches ,  if he wasn’t already moving from home to home every summer ,   he’d want to get away too .    though it seemed like she was just joking .    “ i don’t know a single thing about florida ,   but i do have new york memorized like the back of my hand - “    he looks at the back of his hand ,    “ ok not  all  of new york .   but if you need a guide through queens and a little bit of brooklyn then i’m your guy . “     suddenly he heard the door open and behind it was a  very  attractive dude .    he stood up from his slouch ,   putting on the best semi-clerk ,  semi-flirty smile he could muster as the dude went to the register .    “  so what are we interested in ?  “    he asked the customer .    yes ,  there was a double meaning .

New York. Been there and honestly, it hadn’t been one of her favorite places to go. Too crowded for her taste if Mercy were being honest and the second the opportunity came for her to leave, she’d taken it. No questions asked. Just as the blonde had opened her mouth to express that she’d been there before, the sound of the bookstore’s bell pulled her attention away-- eyes trailing to watch as the person wandered the store. Mercy’s blue eyes fell on Nolan’s face as if to say ‘you gonna take them or?’ but the sudden change in his exterior answered her question. Raising her lips into a smirk, the female merely just watched the scene unfold before her; very amused.

@mercywilliams​

after a long night on the job mason really just wanted his day off to be lazy at home. however his daughter had a different idea. she had reminded her father that he had promised to take her to get new school clothes before school had started. he had always said she was 7 going on 16. agreeing he pulled himself out of bed and headed down to the mall with her to take her to her favorite clothing shop. as he was heading inside the building the door nearly hit them and the person who was opening the door made his jaw drop. “-mercy” he asked as if he had seen a ghost.

Mercy had never meant to swing the door open as hard as she did and seeing the sight of two people standing there, her first reaction was to immediately apologize. “Oh, god! I am so sorry---” her words are cut off the second her light colored eyes meet his own. “Mason.. hi,” said softly, face being rendered with nothing but surprise; just as his had.

Nothing mattered. Absolutely nothing that Mercy was saying to her mattered. It honestly was way more than just her sleeping with Mike that bothered her. It was the lying and betrayal that she had felt because of it. Milani had made her thoughts well known to all of her friends when it came to her brother. Yes he was a part of it too, and yes he may have done this and done that, but what was the point in blaming the pussy thirsty brother of hers when they all knew his ways. It wasn’t his fault that her so called friend was weak minded.

“But you did lie.” Was all that Mila said with a dramatic pause, “You lied and no amount of apologies is going to make that any better. We all know my brother and how he acts, but you cannot blame him for the fact that you couldn’t keep your legs closed for the only guys in Peaches that you should have.”

“I didn’t lie, Mila!” Her frustration forcing the sound of her voice grow louder, but it wasn’t enough to hide the crack in voice. A lump in her throat was beginning to form and the urge to cry was growing stronger. “I didn’t lie..” She said again, but this time her voice was low; barely above a whisper. It was useless, Mercy knew as much. No matter how much she’d try to explain to the other, it would never truly make any difference. “So, you’re just goin’ to blame me? Okay, I get it. Nothin’ I say is goin’ to change the facts.  I fucked your brother, I ruined our friendship. If you hate me so much, what’s the point of even havin’ this conversation?”

“And what exactly did you expect to happen?” Milani responded in complete outrage. “You thought you could just sleep with my brother after all I’ve told you in relations to my friends and him, and everything would be perfectly ok?” The anger that took over her body was more than she could handle so she stood, “You betrayed my trust. You did that. Not I.” She said, “Don’t act like you’re a victim here because it doesn’t suit you. Do you realize how easy it would have been to simply face what you had done? That’s why I was done with you.” Milani remembered that day so easily, “but no. All you did was take off. The moment you walked out those doors like you did nothing wrong, you walked out whatever friendship we had.”

She had to take a deep breath to keep her voice from raising, “Disappearing to simply show back up here did you no good. Specially with the mess of lies and betrayals that you left behind. Don’t be surprised at the anger or lack of acknowledgement from others. That is simply your own doing.”

All surrounding eyes seemed to be on the two now and even though the blonde could feel the stares burning her skin, her attention could only remain on Milani and the harsh words that came out of her mouth. Every time Mercy would open her mouth to speak, another blow seemed to follow. Tears began to burn the rim of her eyes, her breaths growing heavier all while her fingers clenched into fist. She was trying to desperately to not allow the water to spill past her lips as the frustration seemed to consume her. Everything in her wanted to scream at Mila because she didn’t understand. No one did. The reason for her sudden disappearance and why running away felt as if it were only chance at escaping... but, she couldn’t. Mercy never could and that’s what pained her the most. The only logical thing to do was take the backlash. Deal with it and try move on. 

“I never, ever planned for that night to happen. When I told  you I had no intentions on sleepin’ with your brother, I swear to god I meant it, Mila. I really did,” she defended, bright blue eyes taking a minute to glance around the room. Glancing at all the eyes that were now watching her before falling back to the other. “I didn’t lie to you. What happened with Mike just ... happened. I’ve apologized to you a million times and for the sake of you, I haven’t even said more than two words to Mike. How many times am I gonna have to apologize for it?”

letting out a deep breath, roman shrugs, “that’s the best part of the job believe it or not. i guess what started off as a missing persons job has turned into a…kidnapping and smuggler ring.” there were parts of his job he preferred to deal with, the parts where his life wouldn’t be in jeopardy but sometimes he had to step into those roles. “that’s understandable.” he nods, her next sentence making him laugh. a triumphant smirk appears on the male’s lips as he eyes her. he didn’t believe her words for a second. roman has spent plenty of time with mercy to know she was the furthest thing from a bore. plenty of times, she had been the most exciting feature in his life, and that was something he’d never forget. how easily she made him forget and fall into new routines. “i’m sure that’s a lie, the most thrilling of all reason is to see a beautiful face everyday. i don’t get that luxury on the regular, i usually skip out on mirrors.” his last words being a complete joke to make her laugh.

“Oh,” she uttered in surprise, hardly expecting that to be the reason he was working with the police department. As soon as the news hit her eyes, Mercy’s eyes flickered with worry for Roman’s safety. Never once had she thought about just how dangerous it was to be a private investigator until his current job was placed right in front of her. “That’s a scary thin’ to be involved in. Be careful, alright?” Mercy’s words held the upmost compassion-- fearful of what a job like that could mean. Even without too much details when it came to his role, it was hard not to worry about him. “Oh, funny. You not stoppin’ to look at yourself in a mirror? I’m surprised. That definitely ain’t like you,” Mercy quipped back, purposefully doing her best to not acknowledge another one of his compliments. 

“From what I have seen that’s the only thing you seem to know how to do.” Milani said, knowing well the reason for Mercy wanting to leave, “Leave.” Mila placed her drink down, now fully turning her attention towards the girl. “Maybe one of these day’s you’ll learn to face things head on.” She knew that there was nothing else she wanted but for the blond to leave, but the fact that she was actually leaving enraged her. 

“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Milani said loud enough to cause some heads to turn their way.

Those words hit Mercy like a ton of bricks, forcing her to remain standing in place. Shocked, hurt and frustrated. It seemed like her return home ran out of open arms and now that the one person who had been her rock was gone ( as happy as she was for her ), she had to deal with it alone. No one to go running to now that things were getting tough. Hurt resided on the blonde’s face as she turned to face Milani once more, “That ain’t fair and you know it. I did what I had to do.” Or what she felt like she had to do. “You, of all people, don’t get to rub that in my face. You cut me off long before I left.”

He smiled, not exactly caring whether she knew a book or not. He walked over to her mostly to get her attention. Clearly she was looking for a reason. Michael followed the woman down the aisle, smirking a little bit when she asked about the author of the literature classic. “You mean you don’t know?” he was only  teasing, of course. Knowing well that the other didn’t know books like that. “Leo Tolstoy.” he quickly added, moving a little closer to her. “You know the next time we run into each other should be on purpose….We have a lot of catching up to do. So what do you say, you and me at our usual spot. You still remember, right?”

She had absolutely no business working at a bookstore and from the moment she’d been hired, it came as a shock. The only types of books that ever seemed to catch her attention was overly hyped fiction novels. “That’s exactly what I’m sayin’.” Her b ack had been turned toward him as she wandered through isles, trying to find just where the book could possibly be. Her fingers trailed across the fiction novels, eyes scanning through author’s last names. R, S, T... Tolstoy. A grin spread across her face the second the novel had been spotted, pulling it from it’s place on the shelf. “I don’t think it’s a first edition, but-” Her words are cut off when she turned to see the male standing so close to her. Our usual spot. Mercy’s cheeks hinted a sodt shade of pink, a wave of nervousness seeming to hit her. “I don’t.. We shouldn’t, Mike. You and I both know that ain’t the best idea,” she said in a low voice, hand extending the book in his direction. 

Milani could not help but laugh at what had just come out of Mercy’s mouth. “Oh but of course,” Was all she could say. “Why wouldn’t he already know you were back.” Mila was becoming rather agitated with her supposed friend. As if it didn’t look bad enough for her to have found Mercy coming out of his bedroom to then having her disappear without a trace not to be seen for lord knows how many years. 

“Why am I not surprised.” Mila said under her breath. “Can I get another please.” She spoke towards the bartender, “The least you can do is take a shot with me.” Mila said feeling just a tiny bit of sympathy towards the girl, but not enough to forgive anything.

Mercy could hear the underlying sarcasm that hid within Milani’s words and bit back the words that were threatening to spill. It had been one thing to be upset with her sudden disappearance and that, she was able to handle. But to be shamed for having sex? It’d been a mistake she had been regretting from the second it happened and assumed she’d already dealth with the repercussions of it. For the sake of her old friendship, Mercy hadn’t even spared more than a second glance in Michael’s direction and yet, that still didn’t seem to do her any good. 

Rather than commenting, she simply turned her gaze away-- pulling out her wallet to place money on the bar’s top. “Honestly, I think it’s best if I just get outta here,” she said as she removed herself from the seat-- trying to hide her annoyance. “It was good seein’ you again, Mila.”