spark me up

"Cute bartender!" Lola greeted with a wide grin. "We really must stop running into each other like this. Quick, next time, promise me it'll be on purpose. You look iconic, oh my god."

[ Oh god. What was her name again? Lara? Laura? Lola. That was it. ] "Lola! You look amazing." Rylea grinned. "It can definitely be on purpose if you want it to be."

"Hi! Hello." Tessa had been the one to reach out and tap her shoulder, and yet. Here she was, immediately making a fool of herself. Amazing work, Cooper. "You look-... You look fun. I mean- Are you having fun?"

"I am fun...uh. having fun." Rylea knew she could be awkward, but this was next level. Usually she was somewhat able to keep it together around women she waas attracted to, and even be confident, but being faced with Tessa Cooper and her own brand of adorable awkwardness? A snowflake had more chance in hell. "You look beautiful, are you having fun?"

"You should get whatever you want," she answered. Sapphire pushed a tequila shot towards Rylea, taking her slice of lime and holding it in her own mouth instead. Somehow, still managing to grin, she raised an appropriately suggestive eyebrow for her to go ahead.

"To me getting whatever I want, then." Rylea said as she matched Sapphires grin before she threw back her shot and stepping closer into the blonde's space to press their lips together, her hand cradling the back of Sapphire's neck as she took the lime slice into her own mouth.

Zeke smiled as he saw Rylea. He was getting bored and a little sad by some of the outfits. "Hey! Your outfit is great, I think you beat most of the people here."

"Really?" Rylea questioned as she looked down at herself. Her outfit was nothing special, especially compared to some of the gowns and dresses that surrounded them. But a compliment was a compliment. "Thanks, Zeke. You look really handsome."

"they have always had an adoring fan club" she smiled, taking a glass of champagne from a server who offered her one in passing. "are you not enjoying the party?"

"Oh, no. I am. I'm having a great time." Rylea said quickly, not wanting to come off as ungrateful for the invitation. "It's just that this is my only night off for like, three weeks. Which isn't Logan's fault, but a girl needs a break from constyantly socialising sometimes."

"In my experience, only two things equal a 'Happy Valentine's Day' and that's kissing or tequila. Which one do you want?"

"Do I have to choose? What if I want both?"

What an absolute disaster; not the party itself, of course–Blair would never dream of insulting a Logan Hunter soiree–but the people! Most of them–thank god–seemed to be capable of telling the difference between Parisian decadence and an abysmally designed can-can Halloween costume, but some weren't even trying to hide the cheap stitching between their sequins!

Rylea couldn't help herself when she heard Blair fishing for compliments while looking around the room with an air of judgement about her. The other woman did look good, but her attitude kind of ruined it for Rylea. "Does it really count as a compliment if you asked for it?"

"These... are not my shoes." Sapphire's brow furrowed as she stopped on the doorstep of the house party she'd been at. It was closer to lunch than breakfast and she wasn't even the last one out of there. Start as you mean to go on, right? @tfrstarters

"This better not be some kind of reverse Cinderella situation where you find some shoes and disappear into the sunshine." Rylea quipped as her hand rested on Sapphire's waist to steady her. "Don't forget I know where you live."

hearing his cousin had heeded the warning he was given and returned to the upper east side had eased some of the tension in his shoulders. it was easier to keep chuck out of trouble when he was in the same time zone.

Rylea stepped outside the bar, her own cigarette already dangling for her lips as the door swung shut behind her, sealing the noise of the patrons and the music inside. The relative quiet was an instant relief and she relaxed her shoulders for the first time since her shift had started at 9pm. There was only one other person outside as she bought her lighter up and flicked it, cupping her hand around the flame until her cigarette caught.

"A man can make a lifetime off saying goodnight to a moon, but the New Yorker won't think twice about publishing my coming-of-age dystopian short story that might, or might not have been loosely based off Degrassi High. If E.L. James can do it, me too." Dan had no idea Rufus had wandered off at this point of his rant, leaving his son with knitted brows as he caught the eye of the new person standing before him. As always, Dan defended himself. "-- I'm not talking to myself. I'm not some kind of, heh, weirdo-- Oh, whatever, ignore me."

"Oh, no. I totally agree." Rylea said, secretly thrilled to have someone to talk publishing to. "It's just that you, me, and what feels like half the damn city all want the same thing. The New Yorker can only publish so many of us. My advice, go for the literary magazines and work your way up."

"What an entirely mind numbing and unnecessary story that was. They should pay you to waste people's time, you'd make a killing. Mhm. Goodbye." Cassandra rolled her eyes into her martini glass, fending off yet another chit-chatter she didn't care about.

"That was unfairly hot." The words were out of Ryleas mouth before she could stop them. Shit. She busied herself with taking a sip of her Whiskey on the rocks, wishing the she at least had the excuse of being drunk to cover her slip up, but no.

Understood. [ grins ] Only if you promise to dot the 'i' in Sapphire with a heart?

"Already done." [ since when had they been standing so close? They'd mutually aggreed on casual, but did that include possibly making out at a fancy ball with everyone Sapphire knew in attendance? Rylea decided to leave that decision to Sapphire. ]

"Ma'am, hi. How are you? We have a call for you at reception. Mitzi's dogsitter?" Lili announced, swooping onto the scene with extreme efficiency. It didn't take long for Mitzi's mom to spring into action, excusing herself. Waiting half a beat, Lili turned to her-- "I was cornered about half an hour earlier by her. Couldn't watch it happen to anyone else."

"My saviour." Rylea said with a grin. "Whatever would we all do without you looking out for us, ready to swoop in and rescue us from unbearable conversations? And how will I ever repay you?"

Andie knew 'save me from this hellish sitch' eyes when she saw them and she was so ready. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to give the performance of a lifetime. "Oh my god!! I've found you. Listen, I know we thought all hope was lost but they've found your son-- he's ALIVE!" Andie took her by the arm then, leading her away, loudly proclaiming-- "You'll have to come with me right away!"

Rylea allowed herelf to be pulled away, hoping the bewildered look on her face would read as shock. Finally the unknown woman released her arm. "Oh my god, thank you." she said as the other woman faced her. "That was very creative. I apparently have a son now?" she asked with a smile head cocked to the side.