better off on my own

Ophelia: There is a woman screaming at a tree outside my apartment.

It had been a long day. A lot of the customers were still feeling the aftermath of the reopening of the Hole in the Wall and the café had been busier than normal. Mia had just finished cleaning the espresso machine and was cleaning her hands in the sink when she heard the door open. “Sorry pal, we’re actually close,” she said without turning around.

“Shit really?” Ophelia asked as she looked at the time. Of course she left the bar too late to grab something on the way home. “Got anything left in the pastry case? I’ve been cleaning from the party all day and I am starving.” 

Esmeralda kept looking over her shoulder as she left the party. She’d abandoned her car in the parking lot, much too buzzed to drive, and none of the men in the club were sober enough to taker her home. So she took to the streets. Heels were not the shoe to be stumbling down a sidewalk in, but a job had to be done. Panic began to creep up her neck as she walked. Alcohol, late hours and no company gave heat to a simmering paranoia. She saw a woman up ahead and tried to speed up, as much as wobbly legs and heels would allow, hoping to have someone to walk with. 

Her eyes widened, blinking rapidly as her foggy brain tried to process the threat before recognizing the familiar face.

“Ah,– perdon, bombón,” she started sarcastically, hands lifting in mock surrender. “I was expecting you to save me from the murderous men, not–,” she paused to burp abruptly, “be the one to hurt me.”

Ophelia let out a breath and relaxed her stance as she recognized the cherry lipped woman. “E, how many times have I told you to not sneak up on me like that?” To say she was jumpy was an understatement. With how tense everyone had been the last few weeks, Ophelia was surprised that tonight had gone off well. 

“Well considering i’ve seen you take care of yourself, I feel bad for anyone who might try and come after you.” She said shrugging as she let Esme catch up to her before she continued walking. “You have a good time?” 

“You’ll have to catch me first!” Helena chuckled, shrugging her shoulders in faux-innocence. After the last few hours the familiar sound of O’s voice and their back and forth brought her some comfort. 

Of course, with that familiarity came a perception that she’d really rather it didn’t at the moment. Helena paused for a moment trying to decide how to respond to being accidentally called out on her crap. There was always the truth…..but that was messy and complicated and confusing. So a half-truth it was, well, more of a reasonable lie. “Yeah, yeah…it’s just been a minute since Mia and I have been in the same room, especially one where someone we’re related to isn’t in a casket. But I’m alright. Thanks for asking.” The last part wasn’t a lie at all, in fact it was a very begrudgingly admitted truth.

Hazel eyes narrowed at the girl that walked next to her as Ophelia pursed her lips. She wasn’t one to pry into anyone’s social life because she hated when it was done to her, but Helena was a friend...she was more like family at this point. 

“Yeah okay. And the sky is a perfect shade of green.” She said as her brows raised and her eyes rolled. “You don’t have to say what’s going on now but when you’re ready to talk, you know i’m here.” O said quietly. “Now off topic, I think that went off without a hitch tonight. No bike wrecks or explosions.” 

Locations: Sinners Availability: Open to all @eodstarters​

Victoria was working the floor tonight, waitressing instead of undressing. She liked this better, but it didn’t bring in as many tips as dancing. And the men were usually more touchy when you were on the floor. As she settled her tray on the bar, a hand grabbed her ass, Victoria turned around and took hold of the man’s arm so strongly that she could see the pain on his face. “Never touch one of the girls. It’s the basic rule of being in any strip club asshole.” She let go of the guy’s arm, convinced that he wouldn’t try this again soon. The woman sighed deeply as she felt someone stand close, too close to her and cold sweat built on her back as a hand brushed her ass again. “I told you not to touch me.”

Go, make sure they had the booze the bar needed and leave. That was all Ophelia had to do that night and she was looking forward to going home and relaxing. As she was standing next to the bar though, the brunette knew that wasn’t happening anytime soon. Hearing a girl talk and seeing the pained look on the man’s face, she smirked. It dropped from her face when she noticed another guy come up behind her and plant his hand firmly on the girls ass. “Hey.” O said walking over and shoving the dude away. “I think the lady made it clear not to put your pervy little hands on her.” She said as he glared at him. “If you’re that desperate then go to the crack whores down the street.”

Helena was still reeling from seeing Javier at the re-opening, all those old thoughts and feelings and memories had come flooding back and there wasn’;t enough alcohol in the world to properly numb herself to them at the moment. So instead, she did a very un-Lena like thing, and actively went looking for help. Ophelia had left the bar a few minutes before her while Helena had still been hoping that another drink would cure what ailed her. When she realized differently, the brunettte started following after her friend. 

When Ophelia turned on her heel to face her, Helena couldn;’t help but smile as the other woman spoke. “What is it with you and being so obsessed with my ass? I mean I know it’s great but really.” She teased liltingly, a spark of mischief reflecting in her dark gaze as she spoke.

O shook her head at her friend and smiled. “What have I said about sneaking up on me?” She said stepping forward. “I swear im going to get you a bell so I know when you’re coming.” It had been a joke she had since the girl met Helena. Looking at her friend a little closer she noticed how off she was. 

“You doing okay? You looked like you saw a ghost at the party.” Though Ophelia had been working, she still kept an eye on the members that were in the room. 

The party had gone off without a hitch...well as good as it could of gone. But Ophelia still had that pit in the bottom of her stomach as she finished the last parts of cleaning that needed to be done. Finishing up, the girl said goodnight to her coworker and headed to the back to grab her stuff and go. Her apartment wasn’t far, so she was walking, but she still didn’t like being out in an open space for too much longer than she had needed to. The hostility that ran through the town was palpable and the girl knew that it was on the brink of exploding. 

Heading down the sidewalk, she sighed as she stopped and listened to the steps that were behind her stop as well. Turning, Ophelia looked at them with a bored look on her face. 

“You know, following someone could get your ass beat.”