#icharian

"not right now, not about this." alice couldn't help but feel silly already and she didn't need river commenting about it to make her feel sillier. alice had tried on the gown, she wore it around her room. she liked it, but then the realization set in that people would see her in it and suddenly it didn't feel like her anymore. it felt like people were all meant to be looking at princess alice, who was put together, who's tattoos and scars were hidden by sheer sleeves to appeal to the more conservative auradonians. she was meant to glide around the party like ice, not have to carefully pick her steps because no amount of princess training and remedial goodness made up for having not grown up wearing skirts with layers upon layers of fabric. and river probably didn't see any of that, why would he? he probably just saw her walking like a weirdo and saw that she looked silly. "i am in fact uncomfortable. i would really rather it not be acknowledged at least while i'm in the room." let the tabloids pick her apart, whatever, but she was going to be well behaved and try and get along even if she felt like everyone, or at least almost everyone expected her to be someone else.

maya sat down on the floor with a thud she felt in her thighs. laces untied and she pulled one sneaker from her foot and set it down. i need to think. and then maybe a change of scenery too. she reached for her other shoe and took it off as well, putting both into her gym bag. dancing, performing, it gave her an outlet that didn't involve violence, but it didn't completely ease her mind, it just gave her something else to focus on.

                        ཐི༏ཋྀ ๋࣭ ⭑ she feigns contemplation for a moment. what could he be talking about? she has no idea, surely. the smile that appears upon her lips is what gives her away first. layla had never been good at this. of course, warren would know. he had always been good at reading her. it took no time at all for her to decide. more often than not, she knew what she wanted. more so when it came to him. fingers brush away strands of hair that threaten to fall into his eyes, a gentle kiss placed upon his cheek. how could she resist? “ warren, ” his name spoken softly. “ a life with you is my biggest hope. my only want. ”

                        ཐི༏ཋྀ ๋࣭ ⭑ of course, how like dallas winston it was to immediately find a way to think of it negatively. never allowing a harmless positive thought to enter his mind. arms fold over her chest, a sigh falls from her lips. “ you are impossible, ” and yet, there she remains, seated by his side. despite her annoyance, she had grown rather fond of him. not that she would admit to it out loud. deep down, beyond all of his walls and past his snarling, there was a tenderness that only a special few could unlock. he protected himself like a fortress. so, so afraid to let anyone in. still, she tries. “ life is what you make of it. you have to work for the good in it . . . ”

                        ཐི༏ཋྀ ๋࣭ ⭑ there was no way he was serious. could there be? no. it was silly to think so, or so she had thought. this had felt entirely out of the blue. unexpected. however, it was the way he had held her gaze that had her questioning her stance on this. admittedly, it made her feel nervous. what was she to do with herself? quickly, anne. you must say something — she had thought to herself, warmth rising in her cheeks. “ o-oh, well . . . thank you, gilbert, ” she replies in kind, even goes as far to offer him a soft smile. what is wrong with you? this felt almost out of character on her part. still, she cannot help as a question falls from her lips. ever the curious one anne is. “ humor me. are you being genuine in what you say . . . ”

she has been away for too long . that is what poppy hated the most about this career , in truth . keeps them apart for far too long . colton is and has always been the brightest part of her day . the thirty minute facetime breaks that her manager had allowed did not cut it . she went from seeing him every day to not at all . to say that she has a bit of an attachment , well . . . yes — that much is rather true . poppy has since they were young . colton has been a constant in her life , someone who has always made her to feel seen and protected . he was someone that she cared for more than she did anyone else . a very special case , indeed . she had not uttered a word about her return . in fact , she had thought it to be more fun to surprise him . she had a solid understanding of his schedule as it was . so , it would not be too hard to execute . feeding time at the stables would be her best chance . it would be easy to slip into one of the side doors while he's occupied . “ so , did 'ya miss me , cowboy ? ” the blonde asks , plopping down onto one of the haybales within the stables . a beaming smile plastered upon her face .

Arms folded across her chest, the blonde's eyebrows furrow. Pink-painted lips press together. "Were you expecting applause?"