❝ MARI VELASCO —

❝ a riot of raven curls framing her face, abandoning years of expectations to make her own way; figuring shit out while half falling apart, torn between old love and a fresh start; piles of manuscripts she still needs to read, a desk still cluttered with cups of yesterday’s coffee; bare lips, bloodshot eyes, monday movie nights, refusing to cry.

NAME: Marisol Velasco Suarez

NICKNAME(S): Mari

AGE: Thirty

RESIDENTIAL AREA: Gastown

OCCUPATION: Editorial Assistant

LENGTH OF TIME IN VANCOUVER: Native

       BIOGRAPHY | CONNECTIONS | STATS | PINTEREST

“You seem to be in somewhat better spirits since the last time we talked.” Then again, it was hard to not to be on a night like that. The feast was plentiful, the booze overflowing, music blared from every corner— Sully’s promised to deliver and followed through. Sipping her drink, eyes still latched to Boyd’s face, she wondered, “Are you feeling any better?”

Paintbrush in hand, Mari swirled the tip through a puddle of blue on her plastic palette. “Who do you think is going to win the costume contest?” She’d been eyeing up the contestants ever since sitting down to decorate a pumpkin, and now that Seyda was sat beside her she couldn’t resist ‘polling the room’. “I mean, definitely not the deer and dill pickle, right? What are they even supposed to be?”

It was unexpected - running into Luciana again before either technically reached out - but once their eyes met across the food truck queues she couldn’t not approach. When Mari admitted she’d like to get to know her, to get a feel for what it could be like to have a sister, she genuinely meant it.

“So are you actually a fan of horror movies,” she questioned a few minutes after they’d each collected their food, pausing only to pop a cheese drenched fry into her mouth, “or did you just come along with friends?”

─── starter for @vancitystarters​ / capping at 4 replies

GHOST TOURS, THE ORACLE ─── Waiting on the tour to get underway, Angelia eyed the bus outside of the magic shop with curiosity. She hoped with all hope that it wasn’t going to be a ride where a guide pointed out the windows at specific things and told some stories. The only reason the superstitious woman had even signed up and headed to The Oracle where the tour was supposed to take off from was because she wanted the opportunity to walk through the laces around Vancouver that had the biggest histories and legendary spooks to them. “Have you ever done one of these before?” Angelia asked the person standing near her. “A ghost tour,” she clarified. “I’ve always wanted to but never wanted to mess with it.” No idea on why she had chosen to do it now. “Some advice— don’t go straight home from where the tour ends.”

—

“Nope.” The word popped off Mari’s lips before she turned to flash Ang a tight pressed, crooked smile. “I have absolutely no idea what to expect tonight, but when you said ghost tour I couldn’t resist.” Or maybe it was another night in the woman’s company she had a hard time turning down? 

Either way, she pinched a few pieces of popcorn out of the bag she’d brought along (they didn’t say it was bring your own snacks, but they didn’t say it wasn’t, either) and then discreetly offered out the rest. “To be honest, I’m not even sure I believe in ghosts, but I’m open to being convinced.” 

In a way she was almost hoping for something to happen that would do the trick.

“Why aren’t you supposed to head straight home afterwards, though?” For a split second confusion marred the dark slash of her brow. It was quickly replaced by another easy smirk before she added, “Exactly what did you get me into tonight, Ang?”

Luciana lifts her eyes up towards the other woman in front of her, arching a brow with curiosity when she mentions giving her phone to her. Honestly, she never imagined that his family would want anything to do with her with the fact that he did practically everything in his power to make sure she was never discovered… She kind of prepared herself for his family wanting to ignore the fact she existed as well.

“Uh… Yeah, yeah.” She reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone, swiping up to unlock the screen, clicking on her contacts. She turns the phone and holds it out to the other woman as she lifts her eyes up towards her. “Go ahead and put your number in.”

Somewhere quieter, when she’s ready. A part of her wanted to know what growing up was like for Mari because she had gone through her whole life being unwanted. She was never the girl most chose to be around and in relationships it was even worse she would shove them right out the door before they had the chance to break her heart first. It’s what she did in her relationship with Matt, ending things because he had the opportunity to realize she wouldn’t be enough. 

“I’d like that,” she said softly. As soon as she got her phone back, she drops it into her bag and reaches for her wallet, pulling it out and opening it. She tosses a few twenties onto the surface of the bar in hopes to cover both checks and enough for a hefty tip.

“I’ll text you.” She says before getting up and heading for the door, unsure what her next steps will actually be.

Lila: I want to be a good mom and a good friend.

Lila: I'm still in love with him.

Lila: And considering he hates my guts, it's really fun.

Lila: Now, that I know him and Sloane have never even kissed. I decided to torture myself and do an investigation into who he actually might be boning.

MARI: And what makes you think that you aren't already? I feel like I need to remind you again that whatever mistakes you've made in the past aren't the sum total of who you are, Li.

MARI: But fuck. Yeah. I kind of thought so.

MARI: Unfortunately I know a bit about what that's like, too. Maybe he'll come around? I mean, stranger things have happened right?

"Yeah, for Jordan, ‘cause at this point in life I’m pretty sure we just need to cut our losses and meet each other at the end of a wedding aisle. Other than that? I plead the fifth.” - featuring @jordanmitchell

"Easy. It’d be the night I called things off with Elijah because it’s what my dad wanted me to do. Maybe by now we’d be married. Maybe it still would’ve ended on its own. Either way, at least I’d know whatever came of us was meant to happen that way instead of being a path I was manipulated and coerced into taking.” - featured @exhaleddcsires

"You mean like hooking up with Bram? Having no idea what it even means now or how I’m supposed to feel about it? Nothing that I can think of? I try my hardest to live the complete opposite kind of life as my parents which means not being a shady, underhanded jerk.” - featuring @bramwalsh

"To an extent, yeah. I’m not sure I believe there’s literally only one person in the entire universe meant for you, that’s a little too flowery and far-fetched for me, but I do think sometimes you meet people who are just right for you or whatever phase of life you’re in. People who are meant to meet you where you are, or challenge you, or help you grow into who you need to be. I mean, I’ve already experienced that for myself once so how could I not believe?” - featuring @exhaleddcsires

"Well. I know how to keep up a very convincing smile even when I wanna punch someone in the face. Does that count?”

"I don’t think I have enough of a track record to really say, but if you’re looking for a better answer than that? I’ve only had one relationship and I broke up with him so... there it is.” - featuring @exhaleddcsires

Lila: Kind of scary.. a little.

Lila: Don't go overboard, okay? I know you.

Lila: I have a hunch.. not proud of my cyber-stalking I did to validate this hunch..

Lila: Like, who am I to be jealous?

MARI: Maybe. But maybe it's also an unexpected blessing in the midst of everything else? You can finally be whoever you want to be, Li. Take advantage of that.

MARI: No promises about the "party" though.

MARI: Oh?

MARI: Don't be too hard on yourself. We've all been there. Once you've loved someone that sticks with you. It's never easy thinking of them with someone else.