𝓥𝓪𝓵𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓮

location: eden — valentine's day bash w/: @valoriehendrix

"Its never to early to hang out with the coolest guy in the club" nudging Gabes arm with her elbow and calling the bartender for another drink, Val sat down at the bar and made herself comfortable in the stool next to him. When she saw him across the club where she was dancing with her friends, she couldn't help but feel excited to go and talk to him, they always hung out together at the bar but Valorie was feeling extra eager to spend her time with Gabe today, maybe because it was valentines and love was in the air or maybe she'd rather just hang out with him instead of a group of drunken party girls. "and my feet are killing me, these boots are painful after a couple hours of dancing" she said dangling her legs off the bar stool hoping for some relief. With her elbow on the bar, she rested head with her cheek on the palm of her hand and looked at Gabe, smiling sweetly.

There was this utter glee that settled into his chest as Valorie gave in and held the paper to the flame. It wasn't really about the paper, though. Sunny was just the weird guy at parties that really fucked with keeping the fire going, the kind of person who got a little too worked up at the thought of doing something they technically shouldn't. He mostly managed to bite back the smile that had formed on his face, but with his focus mostly being on the burning, he might've looked a little out of place. It wasn't until there was only ash left that he turned his attention to Valorie again.

Pulling the first draw of the cigarette she let the smoke rest in her lungs before exhaling, watching the calmness of the smoke leave her mouth and dance high into the sky she felt a coolness wash over her. "Yah it did actually, funny enough" looking at sunny she felt his peace as if it was hers. The guilt she felt for burning the poster passed as quick as it burned away. Who cared she thought to herself, turning to sunny and getting out a smirk in his direction "so whats the plan now?"

savannah had no plans for her evening, beyond heading to the closest gas station by windy harbors to replenish her energy drink supply before the start of her next work week. she was a shell of a person without her emotional support redbull (but it had to be watermelon and nothing else). her bag secured, she was on her way back to her car when she was approached by valorie. "uh, no? just as fucking confused as you are," she muttered out awkwardly.

Looking at the paper in her hand Valorie sighed under her breath "stupid idiots" before she could really think about how messed up it was, Valorie looked down to see the red bull in Savannahs hand. "You've go the right idea" Valorie says with a smile.

IF SHE HAD KNOWN, she would have stopped. she would have stepped away from whatever it was she and jae-young had been doing -- but even if she said the words out loud, would the other woman believe her? had the wounds already closed? is she a fucking coward? so many questions, that she doesn't know which one that she's capable of asking him first. " yeah... it's so gross. " odette murmurs, noticing another sheet out of the corner of her eye. she wishes she could light every single sheet on fire, watching the paper curl until it dissipated into soot. " valorie... i hope you know i never meant any harm. " the woman pauses, crossing her arms over her chest. of course, the air hangs heavy. she and jae-young hadn't really been open about their... arrangement anyway. an easy distraction, nothing more. she could only imagine how it felt -- someone you adored so dearly hooking up with someone else. thus, she had come to terms with the fact that she couldn't fix every wound a long time ago. " i should have said something to you before. "

"Its not your fault" Valorie quietly responded her head turning around to meet Odettes eyes before her body followed behind. "I should of been honest…but I wasn't" Valorie looked at Odette but quickly averting her gaze, looking down to avoid Odette seeing the tears forming in her eyes. "We were in the same position…I just took Jae-Young and my understanding more personal I guess" Valorie wiped her eyes and looked at Odettes "I don't hate you, if you wanted to know"

"the plan is making it back to my place, are you serious?" she asked, as a look of surprise washed over her face. in all honesty, mila was just glad her friend was there before she began the drive home, the last thing she wanted was to be alone with her thoughts with all of this happening. she was freaked out, plain & simple. "let's make it back in one piece first, then we'll make a plan," reassuring herself more than anything before letting valorie's arm go to unlock her jeep and slip inside the driver's seat. "sound good?"

"Hey don't look so surprised, I was just hoping there might be a bottle of vodka with our name on it at your house" she responded playfully giggling "these posters give me the heebie-jeebies and I'm so ready to get drunk after the shift I've had." Valorie was more then a little freaked out, she was worried about these posters, she was worried to know if it was just more then some stupid kids. But that didn't matter, she just wanted to drink, eat and sleep. "Hey just saying I think I got a little baggie of you know what at home if you want me to grab it" she said pointing at her nose while getting comfortable in the passage seat.

Soph let out an exhale, "I got no idea, but whoever it is... they are sick in the head." She shook her head, Not a day didn't go by where she thought about her Julia. "Are you far from here? I don't mind walking with you so you don't got to be alone. Strength in numbers and all." She didn't like seeing someone walk home alone. It didn't cross her mind she was doing the same, with a toddler none the less but if there was one thing Soph could do, it was protect herself.

Nodding to Sophia in agreeance "Yah they are, a bunch of sick assholes" Valorie quickly covered her mouth with her hand, noticing she just swear in front of a child, then getting a small giggle into the palm of her hand "Sorry, sorry" She apologised while trying to hold in a giggle. Pointing in the way of windy harbors she said "I'm not too far, I appreciate it but I really wouldn't want you to go through the trouble." she smiled

Amara gave Valerie a shaky smile, feeling some warmth return back to her when she heard the other girl chuckle. It was a kind of warmth she was grateful for, one that she needed. "You went through a spiral phase too?" She asked attempting to contribute a little more light into the conversation. Upon hearing what she said next, Amara nodded. Understanding. Something else that she needed. She felt relief. The kind that she needed to work twice as hard to keep herself from getting emotional about. This was her first month back in town; she was not going to cry around a stranger. Even if whoever this person was seemed to carry a kind of kindness Amara didn't expect, but was pleasantly surprised by. "I'm working on trying to be.." After a few beats of hesitance she held her hand out to Valorie. "I'm Amara by the way."

"Went through, going through, its all the same sometimes." she let out a small, soft laugh and slightly shrugging before looking at Amara. Valorie wasn't one to open her heart or let people know how she felt, but she knew sometimes its what a person needs to let them know that she understands, even if she doesn't need to say it outright "Valorie" she said while shaking Amaras hand with smile "What are you doing out this late? Are you heading somewhere?"

"Jesus Val." Pinching the bridge of her nose fighting back a smile, she exhaled. "Are you okay?" Somehow this was the only thing that had given her the urge to smile or laugh all day. Genevieve and Valorie knew each other, yes. But G had always been a bit more stiff around the other girl and she couldn't put her finger on why. She just seemed so....at ease. No matter what was going on. It was the kind of grounded demeanor Genevieve prayed for, and almost envied her for at the same time. "It's not. I've probably developed some kind of kink for public humiliation or something." G muttered. Biting the inside of her cheek she looked over Val's shoulder, still debating if this was the right move or not. It just felt so....Out of her element. Was she really up for something like this? "Actually...I'm good. I should probably go." She looked over at Valorie once more. "Do you need some ice or something?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

Valorie let out a laugh, she was so embarrassed but there was no way else to cover it up. "Yah I'm alright" she continued to laugh. Val was surprised to see Genevieve, most of the customers Lucky Strikes gets are old folks living their youth, kids birthday parties and drunk youth having nothing better to do. Genevieve is everything Valorie wasn't, beautiful, confidant and popular, something Valorie was jealous of. If she could be half the woman Genevieve was then maybe Valorie would be happy she thought, and maybe not have to be drunk to not feel like a fish out of water. "Wait G, I just did some fixing on one of the lanes and needed to check to see if it was fixed, maybe you could help me out?" Valorie offered the olive branch in hopes she could just hang out with Genevieve for a bit "And the slushie is finished freezing if you wanted a drink?" Val smiled, trying to act cool.

raven, being ever so usual observant of her surroundings, had been extra alert this time with how the air suddenly felt cold at the sight of the old missing poster of cierra in valorie's hand. of course, it may have flown from someplace else, but she cannot settle with that possibilities. it didn't feel like the case is solved after all. "i truly hope it's just a bunch of sick teenagers thinking it's some funny joke. but still...it's so fucked up." she whispers. "and regardless of how things have went, if this is a joke or not, i don't think...anyone should be out alone right now." she paused, turning to look at the other. "where are you headed to?"

"Kids will be kids I guess, wonder where their parents are with them running around doing stupid shit like this" slightly shaking her head is if she was disappointment but she really didn't care, she just wanted to go home and get food. "I was just heading home, might grab a quick bite for dinner. Leftover bowling ally pizza can only sustain you so much" she let out a short laugh. "What are you doing out this late?"

@valoriehendrix

Valorie jumps "AH!" and lets out a quick shriek when dropping a bowling pin right on her foot. "Owww! welcome to lucky strikes…ooow" she lightly sniffled while bent over holding her shoe and picking up the pin. Looking up she noticed it was Genevieve. "G? what are you doing here? I didn't think this was your kinda vibe." Standing back up she gave her friend a smile while still having a pain in her face before letting out a giggle. "You here to play some bowling?"

The joke might've been that he could never take a smoke break in peace. If he wasn't being tortured by his inner monologue, it was by the posters, it was by the people who still had the energy to feign interest or confusion at the sight. Sunny's blood had ran cold when he noticed the poster, and then he'd taken a drag and shrugged it off, because he couldn't keep getting stuck on these things. "No clue," he said, shrugged. "Do you wanna set it on fire? Poster's already vandalised, might as well..." he offered, held up his lighter.

She thought for a second, would this be messed up or what? To burn a picture of a dead girl? "Fuck it" she acknowledged before holding a corner to the flame. Cierra deserved better then this but she deserved better then death so did it really matter now? She felt uneasy watching the paper burn, the bright light shining as Cierras face slowly disappeared, dissociating for a moment watching the paper turn into ash. "You got a spare?" Valorie pointed to the cigarette in Jaesungs hand.

"Youre taking photos?" Valorie questions "for evidence? I guess its a good idea to keep track of it." Valorie thinks about Sujis questions, its hard to answer them when shes not sure why or what they were made for. Cursed in big red letters on a dead girls missing poster, that's a bit messed up but it must be for a reason right? pranks are meant to be funny and this isn't funny, just weird. And with the anniversary coming up it cant be an coincidence. "Be it one person or a group, I feel like this is a lot of effort if it didn't mean something yaknow?" Val thought about it more "I want to say its a joke played by some really bored kids but this close to the anniversary? something just isn't right"

Amara hesitated before answering. Valerie didn't seem to know much or remember much about Amara and vice versa, she liked it that way. She could just lie, say she didn't know much about the Ashford 5...Mars wanted more than anything to start over but she wanted to be authentic. Real. No more lying, no more secrets, no more trying to run away from her problems. She was in the mess she was in now because of that. "About five years..." Giving herself a break from the tension in her body she broke eye contact for a few moments. "Yeah, I know about the Ashford 5. One of my friends went missing and I... kinda lost and needed to take some time to myself for a bit" That was as much as she could give up for right now. She let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in when she saw Jae Young's picture. It had been so long since she'd seen his face. She'd avoided it the best she could, even when it came to the pictures of them that still lingered in her camera roll. "That was him.." She said in a small voice feeling a lump in her throat start to form.

"Yah, I know how you feel, when this all happened I wanted to run, but I thought maybe I should stay. But turns out I just ran away in a different way." she lightly chuckled while looking down, noticing Amara trying to keep whatever she had in, a look Valorie knew all too well, a look she'd see in the mirror everyday for the past 5 years. Looking at the way Amara inspected Jae-young's picture, the hurt in her eyes, Valorie understood perfectly how she was feeling. Valorie recovered the Jae-young poster with Cierras "sometimes we aren't ready." before looking at her with kind eyes and a small smile, a smile she hoped Amara would understand, an unspoken understanding.

mila had just been leaving the corner store after her own late shift, ready to go home and forget about the posters that were plastered all over town when she noticed valorie. a rush of relief washed over her, maybe this night would actually start to get better, hopefully. "nope, i just got off and these were everywhere. creepy as fuck though," she began before linking her arm with her friends, "which is why you're coming with me, don't make me do this drive alone.."

Before Valorie even had a chance to agree she was being pulled away from the wall of posters by her friend. In a split second Valorie went from worried and confused to smiling, she knew with Mila around it was always time for a party. "Whats the plan then?" she laughed as she started to skip along with Mila, crumpling the paper into her pocket and grabbing Milas arm with her other hand. Pushing the worry to the back of her head, she knew she would think about it later but now it was time to get high and forget about life.

It had been a long day, to long to be dealing with whatever had the street in chaos. Pulling the garage door shut, she secured the lok and gave Zak a bump on her hip to hike him up higher. She let her eyes scan the poster taped to her door, one that sent chills down her body. It had been five years since her cousin went missing. Even longer since the first disappearance and with the anniversity getting closer this couldn't be a coincidence. Hearing a voice from behind, she startled a little before turning. "Um, no. I really don't" she said as her eyes shifted back to the poster. "Are you walking home alone?"

Giving a friendly smile and small wave to jak, she replied to Sophia "Yah, I'm normally heading home alone around this time when I finish late from work, but I found this poster on the floor." she looked at the poster again "Why would anyone do this, and this close to the anniversary nonetheless? kinda messed up" she kept a calm face to not scare jak but she couldn't help but feel alittle awkward knowing that it must be a sensitive topic considering Sophia's cousin was one of the Ashford 5, she didn't want to push any buttons and upset her.