#ashxmoreno

JULIE: Julie's eyes squinted under her heart-shaped sunglasses. She had missed Cass in the commotion of the pool party, but  twenty feet away she saw the other girl clearly fully dressed. Julie exhaled, vexed. That probably meant she wasn't really participating, a fun-sucker as always. "Hey there," Julie said cheerily while sliding closer to her on the lounge chair. "Never thought anyone would screw up a pool party's dress code, but you just found...a..way."

CASSIDY: Cassidy let out an exhale when she felt the weight of the chair shift as the other sat down. "Julie." She greeted. "Charming as ever I see."  It's not that the girl hated Julie, she didn't like to say she truly hated anyone that was reserved, but she..- certainly didn't love the other.  "I'm wearing my knit sweater and denim shorts. I'm comfortable, you're comfortable. Let's just leave it at wearing what we're comfortable in yeah?" The blonde replied with somewhat of an underlying bite in her tone.

JULIE: It was a pleasantly warm day but Cass's attitude just had to be a cold snap. Julie wished she could face the fun Cass that everyone else vibed with. "Do you hear yourself?" Julie didn't want to paint the other as hysterical so she kept her voice calm as possible. "Comfortable, in this sun, at this event, with knit and denim." Julie paused. "Is this really the time to be different and edgy?" She genuinely didn't understand. "Why can't you just have fun like everyone else does? As dumb as that sounds. You know, we're all in this together. It's a way to show it."

CASSIDY: Why couldn't she just leave her alone? It was like she wanted to start an argument. Cassidy couldn't help but let her eyes roll. "Yes in this sun. At this event. Is that too hard to wrap your head around?" The blonde replied, over the conversation. "I have fun how I have fun and I'm not going to say sorry if that isn't shaking my ass on a table."

JULIE: Julie thought she was helping Cass. Wasn't the group defined by how much fun they had, or aspired to have in spite of everything? Somehow, the eyeroll set Julie off. "Woah, it's just hot out," she said, eyes widened. "You couldn't just take one day to let it go?" She shifted slightly, suddenly realising her hands were gripping the chair under her. "What's wrong with shaking your ass? What fun is there in just sitting here?" Her hands were relaxed now, but her open palm showed how offended she was.

CASSIDY: "It's a little warm, hence the shorts." She replied cooly. "I am letting go. I'm not holding on to anything, so how could I let go?" She asked annoyance slightly running through her tone. "Nothing is wrong with shaking your ass if that's what you want to do. But that's not what I want to do so I think sitting here and watching people do things they'll regret in the morning is fun enough for me. I mean you've come over here and given me a first class seat to one."

JULIE: A hardness appeared on Julie's features. She pressed her lips. Julie was trying her best to not have an outburst, especially since it was her birthday. Oddly enough, it was like being around Cass made it more difficult to immediately have a tantrum. "The least you could've done was tried," she said. "You knew that it was my birthday, you knew it was a party, why show up at all? If I was at your birthday, I wouldn't sit there with such a–" bitch. She just stopped herself.  "–face, like that."

CASSIDY: Cassidy shrugged. "Happy Birthday." She said casually.  "Look, I wasn't doing anything. You're the one that made the decision to come over here and badger me as per usual. I mean I guess everyone else just puts up with it but I'd really rather you not. At least with me." The blonde replied, not looking at the girl anymore.  "See there's the thing, after that little fiasco in the bar with that old man and just your general actions you wouldn't be at my birthday party, so I guess we'll never know huh."

JULIE: "You not doing anything is exactly why I'm over here," Julie replied. Not to badger you, to annoy you. As usual, her intentions had initially been meaningful, but her irritation at Cass just spilled in her speech — now it was spilling into her attitude too. She only then realized. "But thanks for the wish." Her volume slowly increased as she continued.  "Oh, the bar, where I was just trying to lighten it up. And your birthday would totally need something like that. You'd judge everyone at your party, like you are at mine, and you can't just kill the vibe." Her eyes were firmly in Cass' direction.

CASSIDY: Cassidy rolled her eyes and planted them onto hers. "You mean the bar where we were having a perfectly good time until your constant need for validation and attention ruined it and tied in a man triple your age? Yeah that sincerely lightened the mood Julie." The blonde replied casually but with a cool cut to her tone. "I'm not killing any vibe, see everyone over there laughing and dancing? Doesn't seem like their vibe is very killed. But that was a nice little point."

JULIE: Julie's teeth were clenched that she could've just growled, right there right then. Sure, the others vibe weren't killed because they were away from Cass. Sure, she didn't find anything wrong with leading a man on for a few moments in a bar. Instead, Julie couldn't word these where she felt matched to Cassidy's superior way with words. "And so?" Was all she could produce, even if a little squeaked. Her voice retained composure. "I mean, why," Julie's tone began to sharpen. "Fucking hell, Cass. Why can't you just have fun on my birthday of all days?"

CASSIDY: "And so?" The blonde almost snickered. "Look I don't have the energy to explain while all your internalized misogyny and why that's in itself fucked up." She looked blankly back at her. It was like a battle of fire and ice in which neither one was really budging. I am having fun jesus Julie just lay off yeah?" Cassidy said raising her eyebrows a bit.  "You're like a god damn mosquito I swear." She murmured.

JULIE: If Julie's cheeks hadn't flushed earlier, she could've been in the mood to smirk at Cass' insistence. Having fun? She struggled to believe that. "Interna–, oh, dear god," Her face scrunched. "So much for female solidarity or whatever. Or just being decent on someone's special day." Julie's instinct was more flight, and she could've just stood up and moved on. Her fight continued in the face of Cassidy's challenge. "And like you're a goddamn saint. What fuels the energy to be such a self-righteous asshole, please spill your secrets."

CASSIDY: "Female Solidarity is unity that is based on and creates a a sense of community between women. Empowering them and not telling them to go dance on a table when they don't want to." The blonde smiled a tight fuck you kind of smile. She knew she was pressing the other buttons, but she cam to her and Julie had the choice to walk off at any moment. They both did. But Cassidy was never one to back down, even from stupid bickering and it didn't seem like Julie was going to either.  "I don't really remember saying I was a saint. I personally don't think of myself as one either. Self-righteous asshole seems about right though."

ASH: Ash had kept quite letting Julie and Cassidy bicker a bit, but Cassidy was really upsetting Julie and it was her party. “Hey Cass, how about we all calm down. It’s a party. We’re supposed to be having fun.”

JULIE: Cassidy had given Julie a laundry list of things to defend with. With alcohol in her system making her argumentative skills even more abysmal, she was more than relieved for Ash to have broken their destructive rhythm. "That's what I've been saying!" Julie said lightly to Ash.

GREYSON: Greyson wasn’t much of a party person, he’d always been the type to stay in the background no matter the party. Greyson Matthews would be the type to stay in the background of his own party but he was trying to be a little more social this time around. Deciding to go over to Cassidy who was seemingly already talking to the birthday girl herself, and Ash. Greyson wasn’t around long before picking up on the bickering that was being passed back and forth. He really wasn’t the type to butt into things but this argument seemed to go on and on. Looking over at Ash when he spoke up and defended Julie, it wasn’t that Greyson didn’t like Julie or think she didn’t deserve to be defended just as much as Cass but he didn’t like the fact that there was clear sides being taken and he didn’t like that it was now Cassidy against two people. He knew the blonde could handle things on her own but it didn’t stop the fact that he didn’t like seeing the two argue and Ash taking sides. Then again, Grey had always had an annoyance with Ash and the fact he spoke up at all got on the males nerves... “Some people have fun in different ways. Is it really a big deal? Just leave her alone.” Greyson added, speaking before he could really process the fact.

CASSIDY: Cassidy's eyebrows furrowed in confusion when she heard the others voice come from behind her. Greyson? Not just Greyson but Greyson standing up for her? Or better yet getting involved in conflict at all? The blonde was never the type of girl to allow someone to fight her battles for her but for some reason she didn't feel the need to brush off Greyson when he chimed in. She almost felt, comforted. "I am calm Ash, maybe the tequila is inhibiting your ability to register that it's actually your little girlfriend here losing her temper." Cassidy folded her arms across her chest and stared blankly at them. "But no it's fine, let him fight your battles for you Julie.  That's what us strong women do after all isn't it." It was hard for the girl to walk away from an argument, she spent her career arguing, it was something she loved. The blonde wanted to smile back at Greyson but now was not the time to be flashing a smile

ASH: "She's allowed to have fun any way she wants, but if her idea of fun is fighting with someone and bringing them down on her birthday that's kinda shitty." Ash sighed, "We might have different definitions of calm, because I don't think fighting is ever something someone who isn't wound up somehow does. It's a release of something or other."  When Cassidy turned it back on Julie he moved to stand between them. "I'm not an expert or anything, but isn't feminist all about letting women make their own choices? If she wants to let someone stand up for her shouldn't she be allowed to?"

CASSIDY: "Clearly you weren't listening to our conversation." Cassidy said sharply. "Because if you were you'd know I was say the exact same thing you were and she was the one telling me that I needed to be up and dancing and drinking rather than doing what I want hence making my own fucking choices." The girl said cooly, taking a step forward. "Now if you wouldn't mind. The physical barricade you have going on it edging on pathetic. i'm not going to hit her if that's what you're worried about. But I like to look people in the eyes when I prove them wrong." Cassidy said, letting herself form a smile smile.

GREYSON: There was a split moment in the back of his head that he started wondering why he felt he needed to jump into something that wasn’t his business but the majority was already involved and clearly on a side. The argument was something Greyson had no idea where it came from. It was clear there was more to the story, he didn’t even know the dancing on the table bar situation but it seemed to be one of the vital points. Which made Greyson impulsively jumping in possibly even more, well, impulsive. He was a facts guy, a realist if you will so not having all the facts was probably stupid but he couldn’t help but want to be there for Cassidy. “You can’t blame it all on Cass and expect someone to get special treatment just because it’s their birthday, that’s not how the world works, bud.” Greyson added in again, finding it annoying that Ash felt the need to step in front of Julie. “She’s trying to defend herself. She wants to sit here and do her thing, does it really matter that much?”

ASH: "I don't think you're going to hit her," he said to Cassidy. She wasn't the one he was worried about, he knew Julie had a habit of getting upset and acting without thinking. He stepped out from between the two of them when Greyson commented on expecting special treatment. He knew somewhere in the back of his mind that the other two had a point, that Julie may have started all this, but he had always had a bad habit of justifying and defending her actions regardless of if she was in the right or not. He knew so many of the friends saw Julie as a drama queen and didn't take her problems seriously.   "I just want everyone to chill out and stop fighting. I don't care if that means Julie should leave Cassidy alone. I just think it's kind of fucked up to argue with someone when they're supposed to be celebrating."

JULIE: When Ash stood between them, Julie had raised her eyebrows but diffused it into a softer expression. While Julie wasn't angry at Grey because he wasn't directing anything at her, it was his cool rational air that clashed with her current high energy state. She felt sweats and tangible nerves in response to everyone's words. Because Julie was someone who didn't analyse arguments, but used facial expressions, body energy and vibes to get to people. In a verbal argument, she could not give it back. Her volume compensated. "If Cass couldn't take what I was saying without blowing up, then it's clearly impossible for her to chill out. She can't accept it and she couldn't take the advice without turning it into some big ol' philosophical metaphor about life." Julie's arm crossed before releasing to gesture at Cass. "Look at her," Julie's mouth wide in shock at the smile. "When will us mere mortals even comprehend your higher thinking?"(edited)

CASSIDY: "I don't know but i'd love if it happened because I'm really losing brain cells from this Julie." The blonde replied cooly, taking a step closer to her. "Look, you don't tell me what to do, I don't tell you what to do and that's that." Her sentence had no hint to sounding like a question in the slightest.  Cassidy had a way of making her words bite through an icy tone she had perfected during law school. "Listen I'm honestly very over all of this immaturity so if you could just say you're sorry and we can move on. That'd be great." Cassidy knew she was poking the hornets nest but she couldn't help it. There was no way she would be walking away from this. Even if she ran the risk of looking like an aggressor  in front of Greyson.  Though to be fair him being there for her definetly made her take less cruel routes on what she would say.

JULIE: Julie's gaping mouth quickly turned into a scoff since Cassidy just had to continue. Julie stepped forward. Just because Cass could speak her way out of anything, Julie reasoned, didn't mean that she could wield it so well and so icily on her birthday of all days.  Everyone was having a good time and Cass just chose not to. She exhaled, lifting her hands to her head where her fingers laced her the top of her head. "It's just–ugh. I don't get why you're refusing to have fun." Julie voice's cracked, exhausted. Her fists clenched into her hair. She faced Cass straight-on arms down and leaned in slightly. "For one day of the year, you could've been nice, could've taken a joke, could've just–" And her hands had risen again with each word. Whether she noticed it or not, her arms jerked near the other girl's collar but then she followed through.  The motion of it threw Julie off balance too, as she hurtled herself forward too and on her ass on the poolside.

GREYSON: In all honesty to Greyson it felt like the whole thing was going in circles. The two weren’t going to back down without getting their points across. He understood both sides, in a sense. Of course he didn’t know the whole story but what he did know was he felt more for Cassidy than Julie and the fact that Ash was on Julie’s side made Greyson more negative about Julie’s point of view, which was wrong. Grey was smart enough to know that wasn’t logical thinking but it seemed he wasn’t thinking about things as if he was the middle ground, which is what he wished he’d done in situations like this. Greyson was so used to being the guy in the back observing situations, he’d never really threw himself into one — even if it was just a little like now. Now he felt Cassidy was in the right and impulsively disagreed completely with the other points being given. When the two continued Greyson stepped by Cassidy’s side, the tension between the two woman was obvious, you could cut it with a knife. Before Greyson could say anything Julie had already lifted her hands and pushed at Cassidy, the whole thing was quick and Greyson couldn’t put his arm in between them and stop it before it happened in time. “What the hell, Julie!?” He said half shocked and half pissed by the whole thing, it really was ridiculous. Quickly leaning down he leaned forwards as much as he could to reach for Cassidy and help her out of the water.

CASSIDY: Cassidy snickered when Julie put her hands on her but before she could get out a laugh she was.. in the water? The warmish liquid all over her as she felt her sweater rise in the water. She fucking pushed her into the water? Cassidy could nearly believe it. But in all honestly? What did she expect. Julie was the queen of drama and this was no short of that. The blonde almost respected it in some sort of way. I mean clearly it was out of anger, not being able to keep up with her banter at least that’s how Cassidy saw it. But it was a power move and she always loved a power move. She swam to the edge and began to pull herself up until she saw Greyson’s arms helping her. Helping her yet again. This was certainly not something she was used to and yet still she took his hands and was out of the water, drenched. Before she could even deal with responding to Julie’s action the girl looked up at Greyson, her wet hair clinging to her face. She didn’t say anything but hoped her eyes did enough of the talking for her. She couldn’t here. The blonde turned to Julie and Ash. “Well, she finally stands up for herself. A little..-no very immature way of going about it. But it’s a start.” Cassidy said, trying to keep composure in her voice. “Happy birthday to you huh?” And with that Cassidy turned around and stormed off, head towards the bus.