#opalsstarter

typically if aislin found herself hiding away from a party it was because she no longer wanted to play her mother’s mind games. this time, it was because she never wanted the night to end. everything felt temporary with how fast paced it all seemed to be moving. she just wanted a moment to remind herself that it wasn’t so fleeting. a moment to ground herself in the knowing that this was her reality. so use to playing by herself it wasn’t long before her mind related her surroundings to that of one of her favorite film’s little women. with one check to ensure there was no one around she set in motion. the dance jo and laurie had shared that she had memorized easing from her limbs. she moved as if she truly did have a partner, every light step, each muscle spasm; her laughter filled the air until the sound of someone approaching tore her out of it. her movements stopped abruptly, and she faced them with red cheeks and a chest that rose and fell with the cardio she’d just done. “ right. well i’m mortified. ” she greeted with a nervous laugh as she smoothed out the front of her dress. “ don’t suppose there’s anyway you could act like you saw absolutely none of that --- how much of it did you see exactly ? ”

can  anyone  hide  the  truth  of  their  heart  in  france?  it’s  vanessa’s  first  time  in  the  country  of  love  —  her  first  time  outside  of  rainy,  cloudy  england  —  and  she’s  come  to  adore  the  quiet  romance  of  the  mountains.  she  watches  it  with  open  wonder  now,  lounging  in  the  pool  after  her  morning  laps,  a  pink  flush  to  her  cheeks  that  makes  vanessa  appear  younger  than  her  twenty  two  years.  her  mother  and  father  feel  far  away.  even  basile’s  presence  in  the  vicinity  can’t  dampen  her  spirits  as  she  and  the  snow-topped  mountains  share  a  moment  of  peace  and  understanding.  she  admires  its  strength;  covets  the  way  it  will  last  for  the  ages  no  matter  the  avalanches  that  tumble  down  its  slopes.  when  another  enters  the  indoor  pool,  vanessa  looks  away  from  the  grand  windows,  heart  unguarded  and  eyes  unveiled.  “hey  —  do  you  happen  to  know  what  time  it  is?”  

“ WE WERE ONLY IN ‘ LOCKDOWN ‘ for a few hours , max . yet the way some of these people are carrying on , you’d think we were in lockdown for the whole of 2020 . “ she’s looking over at a particular girl , who’s crying crocodile tears , talking to some PATHETIC journalist nearby who asks just how traumatising the whole thing must have been . alejandra is 1000% certain the girl knows neither eliot or miles . “ rich people suck . “ she can’t help but say with a curled up lip . “ present company excluded . “ alejandra adds , wiping imaginary dust off her alexander mcqueen skirt . “  i don’t mean to be insensitive . it WAS a tough few hours there , and i was absolutely out of my mind . and we still don’t know where miles is . . “ alejandra drifts off , before shaking her head . “ it’s been a strange few months , hasn’t it ? tell me something GOOD that’s happened in your 2020 , please . i could do with it right now  . “ 

               she’s WARM when she settles next to someone, her smile bright and her hand extended out to shake. “i’m eleanor. eleanor bennett, if you missed that. but you can call me nora. please call me nora, actually. it’s nice to meet you.” she could’ve kept rambling on --- practically having to bite her own tongue to get herself to stop talking. her smile didn’t falter for a second. 

everything feels somewhat overwhelming, but there’s a thrill to it as well that delia can’t quite place-- it feels right to be in the company of those who share a like mind of passion, knowledge, growth, ambition. all of the things that have been on the forefront of delia’s mind from the time she could even form a coherent thought. well, sometimes, she still doesn’t think she can form a coherent thought-- they’re half thoughts and wonderings, stitched together and put on a page to form what her true thoughts really are. she’s itching for a smoke break and excuses herself from the conversation she’s in casually and with a smile, sneaking out the back, laying her head against the wall while she lights her cigarette. the company is nice, but she’ll always enjoy her moments of solitude. but she doesn’t mind that it’s fleeting-- she turns her head at the creak of the door, nodding her head in their direction. she flashes her pack of silk cut’s. “ come out here for a smoke? or are you looking for some fresh air and i am making a horrible first impression? ” @opalsmedia​

always been one to keep to themselves, jaden is on the ground - not the grass, literally sitting in dirt - outside of strathmore with their headphones in and knitting needles in their hands. everything is weird. the opals are being secretive, not unusual. but jaden’s also not really putting in any effort whatsoever and therefore there’s no reason for them to be included in anything, is there? they’ve gone through a roller coaster of emotions in the span of 36 days. happens often, but after speaking with their mom, this was supposed to be something that would help. the society was supposed to ground them, give them an ‘anchor’. stupid.  their fingers move the yarn around the needles, their eyes watching their fingers work because focusing on anything else seems like a meaningless task. but then the sun is gone, and there is a human silhouette blocking their view. eyes squinting as they look almost directly into the sun that’s back-lighting their subject, “um, hi?” ( @opalsmedia​ )