#para:hazel

Hazel looked around as she looked at her apartment. She felt exhausted as she fed Kaiden after their walk. She was tired beyond comparison. She had done too much today and she knew it as she bit her lip before deciding she could take a short nap as she shook her head and took off her shoes as she made her way towards the bed. She felt restless as she looked over towards her doll. It was a pretty one, the American Girl doll Samantha as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Just a short nap would help. That doll though, she winced lightly as she thought of her mother. She couldn’t think about that now though, it was something that wouldn’t let her sleep as she tossed and turned finally feeling sleep ease her way into her mind. 

Hazel was eight when she finally found out who her mom was. She didn’t have a home, rather they passed the girl around from family to family until Mrs. Welsh finally decided to keep her around. She didn’t know anything about her family though. She knew her father was the mayor and the rest of it was complicated. Because she wasn’t taken care of all the time she had learned to cook for herself, making things here and there that she could besides sandwiches. Mrs. Welsh was elderly as she didn’t mind the drama and told her to not worry about things like that. Still she helped out as best as she could. She had been taught to clean and take care of the house while other children were playing and the only sentence she would get to as why was “Blame your mom darlin’.” She hated that as she didn’t know who her mom was, and she hated that she was the only one who didn’t have people to really come back too. 

When Mrs. Welsh said they were going to get ice cream Hazel smiled brightly. She loved ice cream and it was a hot day. Despite Mrs. Welsh telling her to go play outside with the other children, she knew that the other children would just make fun of her and stay away. At least that’s what their mom’s told them. She heard it before and she had gotten used to it. Most of the town had accepted her, but some still didn’t like her one bit. She didn’t even know what she did. She just wanted to be a good girl and suddenly that wasn’t enough for anyone anymore. It was fine when she was younger, but now? Not so much. She skipped along, her bracelet swinging with her, something she had gotten from her father, who wasn’t her family, she didn’t understand that as she finally made her way to the ice cream shop. She looked around and saw a familiar woman. She was always working and yet she didn’t know where she lived. Everyone kept her away as Mrs. Welsh told her to find a spot while she got the ice cream.

Seeing as no one was approaching or sitting near the women she walked over and sat down swinging her legs in the process. “Hi I’m Hazel! What’s your name?” She asked as the lady looked up horrified to see her. “You can’t sit here.” Hazel frowned as she looked at the women. “Don’t you know who I am?” She hissed as Hazel looked terrified at her. “N-no.” She stuttered as she felt tears in her eyes. The women looked at her and laughed humorlessly. “Of course you don’t.” Hazel blinked as the woman looked at her. “Hazel Moore get away!” Mrs. Welsh pulled her arm tightly as Hazel blinked and winced in pain. “What are you doing?” Mrs. Welsh snapped, as Hazel looked on petrified. “I’m just talking to my daughter.” The woman bit back as Hazel’s eyes widened. This was her mother? “You know you shouldn’t make her impure the town has worked so hard to keep her away from people like you. The type that causes problems.” Hazel felt herself being dragged away as the women looked at her and mouthed seven. Hazel knew what that meant as she nodded.

Around seven Hazel had finished her homework and meal as she asked to go outside to play. Still it was a lie, something Hazel didn’t excel at as she was glad Mrs. Welsh believed it and she ran towards the ice cream place. She only had a few minutes as she looked for the lady. She ended up sitting on a park bench as Hazel made her way towards it. She sat down as she looked over to see a box. “Here. It’s late but happy birthday Hazel.” Hazel blinked as she took out an old American Girl doll and smiled in delight. She had always wanted one but everyone told her it was too expensive. “Thank you so much!” She reached to hug her but her mom, or the women moved away. “You can’t hug me Hazel. I’m surprised they kept the name.” She said as Hazel looked confused. “How come we don’t live together Mommy?” She asked as her mother looked at her. “Sweetie I was the mistress of your father.” She looked confusedly as she tried to figure out what that was. “Don’t worry about it. But the reason we can’t...Well that’s why.” She said as Hazel nodded and looked. She didn’t want to argue she hated to argue. “It’s bad to be. We can’t associate with each other Hazel. They already hate my guts, the only reason they tolerate yours is because you weren’t part of it. Even if you’re part of me. They just think that your father got taken advantage of.” Her mother said bitterly as Hazel nodded still confused. Her father was a good person. That’s what people told her. “Hazel...Do you ever think for yourself?” She was surprised by the question and frowned. “Of course! I have a brain and you have a brain!” She pointed out as her mother chuckled. “Hazel why do you like strawberry ice cream?” She was surprised her mother knew that but she tried to think of an answer. “Because people said I should.” She didn’t know why but she felt that her answer was wrong looking at her mother face. “You don’t. They’re brainwashing you.” She looked at her mother upset. “No they aren’t! They say they’re nice people! They say that you’re bad!” Maybe that’s why people kept her away. Her mother was really confusing. “Sweetie I’m not being confusing they’re being rude.” She looked confusedly. “They tell you to be a lady don’t they?” Hazel nodded as her mother laughed hollowly. “Well I’m a bitch.” She winced at the swear word, knowing people weren’t supposed to swear. “You might understand later but for now you’re going to be late aren’t you?” She looked at the sky and realized she needed to be home soon as she nodded. “See you later. If you break the rules at least Hazel.” Hazel wondered if it was always this easy to let people you were supposed to love go. She didn’t know as she just wanted to go back and read a book or have Mrs. Welsh read one but she realized that her life for the first time she was questioning things she had always held to be true and her world was being turned upside down.

As she walked into the massive set-up for the Gala, Bre's mouth hung slightly open. The University had done it up RIGHT - and while the dance floor, the decorations, and the lighting were all immaculate, nothing looked better than the buffet style tables covered in all kinds of deliciousness.

Oh holy fuck me, control yourself. Do NOT unhinge your jaw like a snake and eat the table itself. Be cool, Booker, be cool.

She adjusted the shawl, which was over her shoulders and upper arms covertly, her clutch in her hand. Despite a general incompetence with a lot of shoes, Bre had never had too many difficulties walking in high heels, especially the old-school ones with the thicker heels that she liked to buy. These were not so bad, a vintage pair she'd picked up at a thrift store eons ago and had worn to many a fancy occassion since. She pressed her ruby-red lips together for a moment, then glanced around to see if there was anyone she recognized present. 

As the afternoon wears into evening, the lounge inside of Russell hall becomes much less populated, more people moving through it in passing than sticking around. Not feeling like hanging in her dorm room, Bre wandered out into the common area, collapsing into a plush orange chair and folding her legs up in the seat with her, too short-legged and curvy to cross them gracefully. She wore black leggings and a long tunic top with artfully-sliced shoulders, her hair pulled back loosely out of her face as she listened to her father's answering machine.

"Hi, you've reached Don Booker, leave me a message at the tone and I'll get back with you as soon as possible. Thanks!" Beep.

"Hey Dad, it's me. It's about seven in the evening here, so it's like five or six there, I forget, but I wanted to call and hear your voice and let you know I'm doing great. I really am, I love it here. But I miss you. So call me when you get this, okay? Love you. Bye dad."

The flashing lights on the streets were distracting him from all those disordered thoughts that were invading his mind. It had been one awful Friday to him, having to deal with his step-mother and managing to run the hotel trying to not worry about the family he claimed to have, to think about his father or think about that girl that distracted him from his duties frequently. The short trip to Rituelle could be simply taken by walking down the street, but he liked wandering around while his thoughts left his head and arrived with a clear head to Rituelle. Ironic to always be consuming goods and requiring the hotel's services when the man, owner of the hotel, was one of his rivals within the hotel chains corporation. But it was addicting. Going back, that is. Meeting charming people and knowing he had to put no limits to himself, not like he usually did back home, trying to be the respected man that was head of what he had inherit before his 21st birthday. A bit unfair, since he was barely allowed to do what he pleased.