#ashfordstart

adem almost forgot the feeling of comfort that the cushion beneath him brings, the warmth of sunlight hitting his skin, and his guard slowly coming down as exhaustion creeps in, the fear of what's to come any second dissipating. all that, but he knew he still wasn't safe, whoever took them was still unknown to him, and whatever purpose they may have...the black cloaks, the hushed voices whenever they're in the room where they've kept them...

he knew he had to go back soon, for everybody else, for emine, he promised emine he's going to come back for her. he hated having to leave her behind, but he promised and he was going to do everything to stay true to his word. though he wasn't the only one who managed to free himself that day. jae...he swears jae was with him...

the creak of the door as somebody enters the room makes him jump, for a second, he felt as if they've found him again.

"i...hey..." he manages to speak with a weak smile on his face. "i would get up and hug you, but it feels like something heavy has kept me in this bed right now."

raven's system is screaming for two things at the moment: caffeine and sugar. a deadly combination, as some would say, but she needs both right now to keep her creative juices flowing. brewed coffee and custard cream puffs, her order keeps playing on repeat in her brain as she didn't want to waste time, it was as if 24 hours in one day isn't enough with the work she feels like needed to be done. she was about to walk up to the counter as it was her turn when somebody bumps into her—a stranger? or maybe somebody she just hasn't seen for long. "well, fuck, damn..." she mutters, but not as quiet as she could. "don't just ignore people when you bump into them, come on..."

Brooklyn was nervous about entering the club. After she left town, she cut off contact with nearly everyone. It was important for her to disappear and leave no trace back to her. Truth be told, she missed this place dearly, missed all her friends and even her family a little bit. She had only returned to town a couple of hours ago and figured this would be the best way to catch up with everyone.

Walking into the event, she b-lined for the bar, knowing she would need some liquid courage to get through tonight. "Hey!" She offered a big smile, "Long time no see."

Asel was out of it. Her back pressed up against the wall not too far from the storage closet, her knees up to her chest and her arms firmly wrapped around them. The building was loud with the voices of everyone else yet she couldn't hear a thing right now, her mind going crazy as she remembered the sight of Emine being propped up like a toy doll for all to see. Her cousin didn't deserve this, none of them did.

Jaxon had become a shell of the man he used to be ever since that night, seeing his sister after all these years of hope or anger or really whatever drove him he couldn't remember anymore, he couldn't comprehend and deal with the grief. He was broken, laying on his couch day and night with the image of julias dead body while barely being sober at all, how could he be sober? the pain would only be worse that way. Jaxon has let his phone go to voicemail for days, he didn't want to deal with people on a normal day but now he didn't have the energy. No ones heard from him at all, that's until someone knocked on his door.

"Don't be a pussy just take the shot" JC the man scoffed as he placed the shot glass on the counter top before knocking back his own. "What's the point in coming to a party and not acting like it you're at one? Don't be so boring."