queen of hearts

✦ LEE DA HEE, CIS FEMALE, SHE/HER ✦ LIA BANG the THIRTY-SIX year old has been in Hidehill for HER ENTIRE LIFE and was a ENEMY to Jade  Parker, the missing  first murder victim. Whispers on the streets are that the MANAGER OF THE PLAYPEN who lives in HARTLEY AVENUE. She is said  to be ALLURING  and MANIPULATIVE but I guess we’ll find out for  ourselves

…

Thomas frowns a little as he glances down towards the empty plate in front of him. “You know you should talk to someone about it.” He lifts his eyes up towards her. “Holding all of that in…” He lets his words trail off because she already told him that they weren’t going to talk about it. “Just make sure you don’t hold it in, okay?” He drops his gaze down to the menu, picking it up and scanning it to see what he should order.

“I will,” she responded, though it was probably a lie. She didn't want to talk about it. Lia didn't even really want to think about it. The air between the two felt heavy, the subject at hand making it feel so. Lia let a sigh escape her lips, forcing a smile onto her face and picking up the menu. “Well, since you invited me here, I’ll make sure to order something expensive,” she spoke, letting her eyes glance over her options. “And a drink too. Seeing as you're paying.”

      “how you see me doesn’t mean that it’s not the truth.” she would have gone on to defend herself, stating that the dislike from cristal stretched to a threat  physically harming her. however, that would have been in poor taste as well. claire was trying her best to not trip herself up. “three people died and it’s clear that it’s far from over. i can’t just ignore that.” lia was angry, she had to keep on reminding herself of that. claire was making an effort to stay in control over her own actions. “lia, please. my personal feelings aren’t relevant right now, don’t turn it back on me. it’s okay that you’re upset, you have every right to be, just please talk to someone about it.

.

Well, Reagan could certainly understand that sentiment. Both the fact that she herself didn’t like many people, and really, not that many people tolerated her. Which wasn’t surprising, considering how she’d been carrying on as of late. Eyes narrowed when Lia offered her the concealer. “I thought you said I was pretty.” She shot back, knowing that she looked like trash. “I’ll take the advil though.” Even though she’d taken something before she’d left the house, her head was still throbbing. “Understood. You can make yourself a shitty coffee if you want.” A gesture to the small waiting room.

“There's always room for improvement,” she replied, the offering of makeup a kind gesture in Lia’s eyes. Even at her worst, Lia would be damned if she still didn’t look her best. If she wanted to look like a mess, she'd just stay home. Rolling her eyes, she took out a bottle of the pain reliever, handing it to Reagan. "Hm. I'm fine, thanks though. I have a feeling they haven't changed the machine they use since I've been here last, and drinking dirt doesn't sound like a good time."

       the woman was taken back by how aggressive lia was towards her. how she felt about people involved didn’t change the fact it was an awful thing to happen, yet another one that had her re-evaluating how to proceed. envy couldn’t open again, at least not under her management. “if you think my sympathy is fake for a tragedy that, once again, has affected the entire town, you think worse of me than i initially thought.” if lia insisted on meeting her with anger, she’d do the same. “drop what you have against me now. is it even worth it? disaster is striking again and again, no one can catch a break. it’s alright to feel upset and angry, just stop directing it towards me.”

.

“I am…” Which she really wasn’t thrilled about. Her head was throbbing from a long night of drinking, but she was hoping the food she’d managed to grab on the way to work would help with that. She hadn’t been expecting Lai, but she didn’t have anything else booked in for the morning, so it wasn’t a huge deal that the other was there. “And it sounds like I should be flattered.” She mused, raising an eyebrow as she accepted the keys. While she wasn’t actually thrilled to be someone’s favorite mechanic, since she didn’t particularly enjoy being a mechanic, she supposed it was cool to be the favorite. “You in a hurry or something?” 

location: anywhere ! 

      it was one thing after another, a complete shock to the system again and again. hidehill wasn’t a good place to be. claire felt like she had made a massive mistake by taking on another business venture here of all places - she should have just opened another in california or perhaps looked to get one on a european sea front. recent events did make her feel slightly more sane since she had brought up the notion of a repeat of events but then again, it might have made her look suspicious. “it’s just awful.” the event was awful, yes. people had died, one being cristal that had somewhat threatened her… there were mixed emotions on that one, ones that she definitely wouldn’t voice. although claire hadn’t spoken to lia since their encounter at the party, standing there in silence felt worse. “no one can catch a break, can they?” how many more awful things could happen in such a concentrated area?

@msliabang​

𝙾𝙿𝙴𝙽 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁: @hidehillstart ( 0/3 )​ 𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽: DAVE’S LIQOUR STORE, PARKING LOT

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐃 announced the losses, the three people who were here yesterday only to suddenly be gone, something in Yara snapped. The woman was certainly no stranger to death, having faced it several times herself staring up at the barrel of loaded gun. More than anything, Yara was simply tired. Tired of losing the ones she loved, tired of keeping up a brave face for the sake of others because courage was in her bones. More than anything, Yara wanted to kick something. Scream. Cry. The woman could barely even remember the last time she had cried, likely before she had been sentenced. Even now the tears wouldn't fall, cheeks barren and dry.

Javi. Dion. And while she didn't know Cristal very well, Yara's thoughts went to her too. Three people just trying to get by in the world, just trying to be happy. And The Shadow had stolen that chance away from them, leaving the bitter taste of grief in Yara's mouth.

And so, despite the reinstatement of the need to look over one's shoulder, the woman had simply lost the ability to care. Hair disheveled, eyes bleary and adorned in clothes that were no match for the weather, lips pursed as she took a sip from a bottle of cheap vodka she had just purchased still encased in it's brown paper bag -- hoping the sting of the alcohol and the looming winter chill in the air will allow her to feel something. Anything.

"H-Hey..." Yara speaks, looking up the individual who is now standing inches away from her. "Can't'a lady drown 'er sorrows in fuckin' peace?"

Lia liked to think she was a strong person, her emotions something she always knew how to keep intact. She’d held herself together when Sasha was kidnapped, remaining beside her in the hospital when she’d been found after nearly dying at the hands of the Shadow. She supposed she wasn’t all that close with her cousin though, and in some world, she probably would’ve been okay had something worse happened. Losing Cristal was something she’d never anticipated, nor was it something she knew how to deal with. One of her best friends, someone she saw practically every day of her life.

She’d cried enough in the past 24 hours, maybe even a few tears shed over Javi too, that she’d never say out loud. Even a day passed, she still felt empty, heading to the liquor store for a bottle of wine. Maybe even something stronger. She’d think about work tomorrow, and what the hell she was supposed to do. But right now, Lia needed to be drunk.

…

Thomas frowns as he drops his gaze to the menu, plucking it up and moving it closer so he can see it. He brushes his tongue along his lower lip as he lifts his eyes up towards her over the menu. “Well, I’m sorry for running late. It wasn’t my intention.” He clears his throat. “Anyway… I wanted to meet up to see how you were doing… after what happened.”

...

For the first time in a very long time, Lia felt genuinely sad, heartbroken over what had happened. Cristal was someone she cared about, and in some sick way, so was Javier. And the both of them were just.. gone. She’d covered any puffiness from crying with makeup of course, though it couldn’t really hide the slight redness to her eyes. “Fine, I forgive you,” she let out with a sigh, glancing at him as he spoke again. “I... I’m not talking about this with you.”

location: the quick fix

Lia made her way inside the Quick Fix, entirely not dressed as someone looking to get their car maintenanced, making her way towards the brunette with her keys in hand. “Oh good, you’re here,” Lia let out, taking her sunglasses off and glancing around, before giving Reagan a smile. She was hoping to not run into dumb and dumber, aka Javier and Dion, moreso the former than the latter though. “My car needs an oil change, and I’ve just decided you’re my favorite mechanic.”

…

Javier exhales when he hears her voice, turning his head to look over his shoulder at her. Of course, once he settles back into the reality of everything he might be disappointed in his behavior but right now was not when he was feeling the need to redeem anything especially with the woman currently putting her hand on his arm to move him out of the way. He shifts, reaching out to grab her wrist as he pulls it away from him as he steps closer towards her. “Why don’t you say please, Lia?” He tilts his head to the side. “Look I get you wanna be pissed at me for what happened between us a few years ago and I’m not one to tell anyone to let go of anger or pain they feel towards someone but I clearly made a mistake and paid for it deeply. Can’t we just let by gones be by gones?” Truthfully, after losing Emira the way he had, the whole games thing was something he couldn’t tolerate anymore which is why most of his conversations with Gabriela lately were slim to none because he really didn’t want to say something he’d regret… Just like he’d regret this interaction later. 

Lia laughed wryly, already finding herself somehow amused and annoyed by his behavior. She understood things were probably tough for him, losing his girlfriend. But it could only help his case so much, and with the way he’d already treated her, Lia didn’t have room to hide how she saw him. “You don’t deserve my please,” she replied back, tilting her head in the same way he had. “Have you always been this much of an idiot? I couldn't care less about what you did, especially with how you've been acting these days.” Really, she would’ve been fine to carry on with her life and truly let by gones be by gones, like he’d said. But of course, like every man, he had to go and screw it up. “If anything, I’ve been nice. I treat you how I’d treat any other man, Javier. We weren’t friends before we dated, and we aren’t friends now, right?” she asked, her arms crossing over her chest. “So what exactly do you want from me?”

𝙲𝙻𝙾𝚂𝙴𝙳 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁: LIA + CEMILE ( @msliabang ) 𝙻𝙾𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽: CEMILE'S, HORWICK

"𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐀 𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂 method to repel the male species away from me? Cause I'd pay good money for that." She had a specific one in mind, she could not lie. Cemile sighs from her spot on the couch as she takes a sip from her second glass of wine. She didn't ask this question because she was used to tuning out the world when most of the men in her life spoke as a child. Yes, this was partially about Thomas again no matter how hard Cemile tries to fight it. This is a topic that would be not unfamiliar to Lia and she can hear her best friend's voice in her head telling her to stop being paranoid. But still, what could she do? Their breakup was recent after all, wounds still fresh. "I don't know why seeing him in public is still so fucking hard. We're just minding our fucking buisness."

location: big guns

Really, she hadn't know what she'd ever seen in the man in front of her. Once upon a time, she'd tried to be nice, cordial in front of him and pretend that she wasn't affected by anything he'd done. Their conversations were short, and Lia always felt like she had the upper hand, in control of the situation just like she preferred. That was, until he'd made it clear he had something else in mind. She had to remind herself that she was a confident, self-sufficient woman after purposely avoiding the gym for the past few days. Lia wasn't worried. Sure, she'd let herself be fooled before, but even as she turned around and came face to face with him, she held her resolve. “You're in my way,” she stated, hand finding its way to the side of his arm in an attempt to move him herself.

Cemile: i know claire did not just say that she "regrets her actions" at the mansion

Cemile: what embarrassing ass shit did i miss

Lia: oh you know

Lia: showed up to a party, cried about how people were having fun, started screaming at people

Greta: fuck.. that's a hell of a way of coping

Greta: we all deserve better than the shit that happened, even her. and while i'm not ready to step into a party let, it's perfectly honorable to celebrate life

Greta: i have a couple contacts at the hospital, i'll see what i can do.

Greta: you okay?

Lia: i guess people have been getting on her case about it happening at her club. it could've happened anywhere though, no?