* 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 / 𝐕𝐈𝐑𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐀 !

who: open starter  what: mac’s not so special 21st birthday  where: candy’s party

So Mac had never exactly been a birthday person, and even so- there were a million things he’d rather be doing on his 21st birthday than sweating bullets at the thought of performing in front of the whole town. To add insult to injury, he was dressed head to toe in an outfit he hadn’t and never would pick out for himself, one that was starting to feel too tight by the second. Still, the open bar kept him in semi-high spirits, the liquid courage keeping him from completely descending into… well, madness. “Mad Hatter at your service,” he says with a half-smile and a little bow, not wasting any time plucking the drink out of the other person’s hand, “Sorry- you have to share your drink with the birthday boy. After all, I’m legal now!” 

🍒

Had Virginia really forgot that it was Mac’s birthday? If there was anyone who had the easiest birthdays to remember in the gang it was Mac and Noah simply because they fell on holidays. Perhaps it had been the stress of coming to Candy’s party or the last six months in general, but Mac’s birthday had slipped her mind completely. So, when he grabbed her drink and said he was the birthday boy, there was slight confusion on Virginia’s face but she quickly masked it. “Be careful there. Candy might off you if you give a drunken performance,” she teased. Although, she wouldn’t put it past Candy to off someone for ruining her party. Virginia would and she wasn’t even a psychotic murderer. 

who: open

what: being annoyed??? what else is new

where: the pop up garden

Zahra had a love-hate relationship with Valentine’s Day. She wasn’t going to turn down a chance to dress up (plus, the red and pink colour palatte? so her look), or drink, or take her pick from the people using the day as an excuse to hook up. It was also obnoxious, plus simultaneously blatantly commercialised and sickeningly sappy. The combination was fucking annoying. Usually the side of the coin she fell on depended entirely on her plans. Needless to say, this was a hatred kinda year.

Zahra had managed one too-sweet drink and maybe an hour inside the ballroom before she desperately needed an escape, and the pop-up garden was the closest option. “Did she seriously get her minions to, like, paint white roses red? This is way too much planning and effort just to fuck with some people,” she commented, somewhere between bitter and amused. Mostly bitter. She picked one of the roses in question to inspect it, before offering it to her companion. “Here, something to remember this nightmare with,” she added with a sarcastic smile.

🍒

Valentine’s Day was either a day of love or a day of being miserable because you were left with no one. Virginia had chosen the latter. Not because she didn’t have someone on her arm for the night, but because she felt like the attention was elsewhere. And it was. Many would take it as a blessing that a rich murderer wasn’t making her play a role in her little game as much as the rest, but Virginia took it in a completely wrong way. That she was uninteresting. That she wasn’t worth it. And right now she’d rather be a dead blonde with a shrine of flowers than a lifeless blonde vying for the attention of a psychopath. “Z, is this your way of saying you want to make out with me?” Virginia asked, taking the flower from her with a smile. If someone seemed just as miserable, Virginia was glad it was Zahra. “I think she just likes the spectacle,” she commented, turning the rose around in her hand. “Do you wonder why she didn’t send us anything? Like, what’s so important about Mac, Noah, and Freyja?” Other than Alice. It was obvious why Alice was Alice. “Sometimes I think they know more than they let on.”

when: ya know who knows what: dally is also getting drunk, but he’s fucking with people who: open <3

So. Dallas didn’t know why the fuck he got an invitation to this fucking thing, and he certainly didn’t know why he actually bothered showing up. How much attention would this Candy Girl really pay to him? He was just some southsider… Some nobody. 

Still. Probably better safe than sorry, considering his dirty little secrets were  - Nope. Not gonna think about that, Dally, not even tonight, in this immaculately decorate hellhole. “Did nobody fuckin’ think to question the obvious construction that was taking place in this building over the last - how long could this have taken? A week? No wonder people dropping like flies.” Dallas took a long sip from his drink - one of those Cheshire Cat whatevers - and tried not to wince at how sweet it was. Stupid card-shaped-bartender wouldn’t just give him something straight up. “It’s like you people in the Proper just don’t fuckin’ see anything that’s right in front of you, huh?” 

🍒

Virginia was jealous. That much was evident by how much she was hugging the walls more than usual, pouting like a toddler because it was the other ungrateful others that were gifted with nice outfits or fun things to do. What was her role? To look hot? She did enough of that already! When she heard Dallas, she rolled her eyes. Of course some Southsider would be at the event to ruin the fun even more. Call it a testimony to wanting to run away from her roots, but Virginia was not interested in anyone that was from the Southside or her trailer park. Sure, Virginia had lived in Proper her whole life anyway, it’s not like she was a true gang child or anything, but being poor in Proper it seemed like she might as well be lumped in with the rest of the Southside at times. It’s not like anyone who lived in the big fancy white houses that adorned Cherry Proper knew the difference. “No. We were too busy on being suspects and targets to notice big fucking decorations,” she deadpanned, throwing the rest of her fruity drink down her throat. “Shouldn’t you be like, slumming it somewhere else? I mean, it’s just like embarrassing to watch you try to fit in,” Projection, Virginia.

who: open starter  what: the aftermath of glenda logan’s coma haircare  where: sour cherries

Sabrina had been… well, grumpy was probably the nicest word to describe it, since her release from the hospital. The pain in her abdomen seemed to linger despite her clearance to walk, and Glenda Logan was driving her crazier than ever. The moment she was more mobile she’d be out of that house and never looking back, but for now the only thing she could do to cope was sneak West in through the window like they were sixteen all over again. On top of everything else, Glenda had chosen not to maintain Sabrina’s hair while she was in a coma, resulting in a knot that had then resulted in parts of her hair turning broken and frizzy. Now, Sabrina Logan was particular about a lot of things, but her hair sat at the tippy top of that list. Parting with any of it had already sent her into a tailspin and the looks being thrown her way by her fellow customers were only making matters worse. “Are you enjoying the fucking show? Stop. Staring. At. Me.” 

🍒

Virginia wouldn’t be caught dead with bad hair. In fact, she hoped that if she did drop dead at the hands of Candy Girl, The Phantom, or LDB that she’d at least look good as a corpse. Luckily, the Virginia’s were blessed with great genetics already but what was even better was that Sarah Virginia was a stylist who upkept her daughter’s hair every few weeks. A trim here, a trim there, even some blonde highlights to keep Virginia’s hair from bordering on brunette. With foils wrapped all up in her hair, Virginia was sat near Sabrina, just eyeing a magazine but she couldn’t help that her eyes shifted over to the matted mess that was atop Sabrina’s head. “I’m only staring at you because you look like total shit,” she spoke bluntly, which was only to be expected of a girl who had been stabbed ten times and was in a coma. Virginia didn’t meant to come off as so rude. West would probably bitch at her if he knew she had even snapped a smidge at Sabrina. “My mom could probably help you with... that, if you want,” she offered, motioning to Sabrina’s hair. “I’ve seen her hide like kitchen scissor bangs a hundred times. I think you’d be like no problem for her.”

☀️

Her question had him rolling his eyes. The amount of times West had tried to teach Virginia anything about cars had been a waste of time and he knew that, but it didn’t make tormenting her with the oil on his hands any less fun. Unfortunately for her, this time he wasn’t exactly in the most playful of moods. “My bets on Feeny.” He announced as he contemplated throwing the towel in his hands in her direction, only to decide against it. Even his usual habits of trying to piss her off lacking their usual appeal. “Old man’s down at the Garage. Westof is baby sitting Baby though. Boys would love to see you.” He mused taking the jack from her as it was handed to him. The act making it harder to avoid looking at her. “Although I’d love to hear what the hell’s been going on with you since that Cherry Bomb thing dropped. If you care to indulge.”

🍒

Virginia wasn’t a mechanic and she didn’t want to be. After all, she had three brothers who could pick up that slack. Virginia was just glad to be the only girl and not have the pressure to take the garage one day. “Feeny?” Virginia furrowed her brows and looked at the magazine. “He isn’t even on here,” she announced, shaking her head, and ticking off the last question. “I got Eric, obviously,” she finally directed her attention off the magazine and tossed it, along with her pen, into the car. Virginia could tell West was off. Usually he’d pick on her a little more, but he just seemed a little too focused. 

“Isn’t Baby a little old to be babysat?” Maybe it was generational, but Virginia could remember times when she was left alone at Baby’s age. Although, that was arguably unsafe. “I’ll go in here in a minute,” she shrugged. She had been neglecting them a bit. Not by choice, but between school, Lambda Rho, cheer, getting arrested, and murder there wasn’t much time to check in on her family. At the mention of the Cherry Bomb, Virginia leaned against the car and folded her arms. “What about it?” She asked, playing dumb. “You don’t believe it... do you?”

𝙾𝙿𝙴𝙽 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚃𝙴𝚁 !!

who: harvey hargrove iii & open what: studying (or at least an attempt to) where: c.c.u library

Harvey had never been the best when it came to school. In high school he breezed by, pulling the football practice card and overall charm to get all sorts of deadline extensions and late work forgiveness. ❛ c’s get degrees. ❜ had been his mantra last year before shotgunning a Coors Lite at a basement party. Grades had never been something he felt the need to worry over, at least until he ended up at C.C.U. In the back of the library, hidden away from most prying eyes, Harvey sat alone at a table. The notebook and textbook in front of him barely touched, the flavor of the gum in his mouth long gone. As the textbook paragraphs began to turn into incoherent nonsense in his head, Harvey looked up, locking eyes with another person. The expression on his face morphed from cluelessness to one that read ❛ can I help you? ❜ While he usually was a very extroverted person, chatting it up with almost everyone around him, he was convicted now. His father’s lawyers had made it very clear that he should not be talking to anyone, anything could tarnish the family’s reputation now.

❝ Plenty of corners in here, ❞ he began, eyes traveling back down to his textbook as he absentmindedly flipped the page, ❝ did you have to pick this one? ❞

🍒

Had Virginia almost forgot that she was in school? Absolutely! Great major choice on her part since communications was a bit of a joke. But communications majors still had to do the work and Virginia didn’t know how many C’s she could take before her financial aid was ripped away from her and that, plus her cheerleading scholarship, were about the only things keeping her at C.C.U. for the time being. She was the first Virginia in the last twenty years to go to college and she wasn’t going to fuck it up because she couldn’t read a chapter about nonverbal communication. 

It seemed like the most logical place to go was the library, that’s where studying got done, right? And hopefully she’d be safe from any catastrophic events while there. However, when she got to the library, it seemed like all eyes were on her. She had tried her best to distance herself from the gang. Not truly, but just in a hopefully no one at C.C.U. knows I’m with the band kind of way. It had worked for the most part until the arrests and now with her name being blasted out of Gail Weathers mouth, none of them were safe from the burning eyes of their peers. “Some of us have to hide out too, Harvard,” she grumbled, sitting down in front of him. She didn’t love Harvey by any means, but if she had to sit near him to stay away from others, she’d do it. “Or did your daddy buy you the entire corner?”

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: the sweet russell apartment <333

Virginia had been a little hands off when it came to what happened with Sabrina and Casey. Call her stupid, but she just thought there were more people that cared about them than herself so she had taken upon herself to just be someone to talk to or grab a coffee or food for their respective families. It was also fair to note that Virginia didn’t like hospitals, most people didn’t, but they just made her feel sadder than if she was at a funeral. The thought of the unknown. Luckily, Casey had finally been discharged and Sabrina had woken up, but Virginia was still lurking around like The Ghost of Bimbo Past. She feared leaving for too long, especially when West seemed more on edge than usual about Sabrina’s hospitalization.

Growing tired of how the food and coffee tasted, Virginia made a pit stop to Cherry Proper to grab a pick me up and look at walls that weren’t horrendously white. While there she decided to grab a couple of extra coffees and sandwiches to take to Casey and Noah. She hadn’t really seen either despite spending multiple hours at the hospital. Knocking on the apartment door to her best of ability, one hand carrying coffee and the other holding a bag of food, she held the items up like a trophy when Noah opened the door. “I brought food,” she said with a soft smile, already sliding into the apartment regardless if Noah tried to protest. “How’s Casey doing?”

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: cherry’s closet

So the circumstances of the year of 1999 hadn’t started off to a great one. While Virginia had looked towards the new year with more hopeful intentions about the murderers who were after them. Did they not get burn out from fucking with the same people for months on end? Guess not. While Virginia had spent most of her time at the hospital like the rest of the gang, she needed out. The tacky walls, smell, and coffee of the hospital were just unsatisfactory and unfortunately for Freyja, she had been the only one to answer Virginia’s pager. Virginia had dragged her to Cherry’s Closet despite whether or not Freyja wanted to go. Those godforsaken nice kids. “How does this look?” Virginia asked, walking out of the dressing room in a pink dress. “Too slutty? Not slutty enough?” One would think that Virginia would care more about the circumstances they were in, but she had Lambda Rho’s to impress! And that was arguably more important than getting murdered.

who: @virginiacherries​ what: #tbt to when candy girl just wanted to drug virginia :\ where: things r gonna keep being set in the hospital <3

For all that the gang had fallen apart, one thing would still forever bond them (and it was not just Lux): other members of the gang getting murked (yes, May wrote murked. Yes, May is a legit serious RPer). The severity seemed to be a more recent development, prompted by the reveal of the LDB – no one had actually bit the dust before then (granted, Rory had gotten locked in a box with rising water and there had been a bomb at Carousel Cove – Sloane, you were an icon, it’s a shame you no longer exist). But to think, it had all started with an innocent enough truth or dare! Maybe if they’d just had better malware, they wouldn’t be considered victims and perpetrators – ah, the duality of man!

Ah, truth or dare. ‘Give drugs to whoever you like the least,’ or something phrased way differently – way more eloquently. If she could have a do-over, perhaps she would pick ‘truth’ instead – all of the ‘truths’ had been fairly innocent – but she didn’t have a do-over button. Yet, in any case, she knew that something would’ve happened one way or another. She didn’t offer it to Virginia, Candy would’ve done something (even if they became besties, then non-besties, then allies because she was too high to not message Candy, so on and so forth-); Virginia didn’t take it, Candy would’ve done something. There wasn’t much middle-ground. Lose/lose – oh, how she just repeated to herself ‘thank god I don’t use heroin!’

However, after the night the two had had (alongside the entire gang) combined with the… many nights before that, Alice, in all her low-spirits in that liminal hospital, figured one thing might help: extending an olive branch. (Of course, she was higher than average and would likely not have done this in any other case.) Thus, when someone with a bad case of the sneezes (were they really putting them in the same room as folks whose friends had just been stabbed and/or put into a coma?) seated himself in front of her… she decided she’d move to the nearest seat beside a ‘gang’ member! Which just so happened to be Virginia Virginia! And she had only two questions for the other, both without preface, because what was tact at the end of the day?: “Remember when this was, like, just truth or dare? Weird version, but…” Ah, and then the question of generosity: “Speaking of, like… I don’t know how you felt about it, but if you need anything to, like… take the edge off, or whatever…” 

🍒

They really were so fucked. While Virginia once thought that maybe it was Libby or some entity murdering and torturing them and their friends, it had fully escalated. While Sabrina was still alive, Virginia couldn’t help but think that whoever did this was going after family members. Maybe Sabrina had just happened to be there by chance, or was a fallen victim as an active Lambda Rho lota, but her brothers were constantly in her mind. She couldn’t think of losing Paulie or West. And hell, Westof and Baby were so young. They deserved to have a long life. Not a short one ripped away because their sister was such a fucking idiot to have ever associated with Lux or the gang in the first place. Curse the desire of popularity and friendships.

Virginia would never consider Sabrina a friend. Considering her relationship with Libby and her brother’s relationship with Sabrina, it just certainly wasn’t a match made in heaven. But Sabrina has essentially gotten hurt at the expense of the gang and if Virginia didn’t show up, it’d make her look like a terrible person so she’d console those who were upset or grab coffee for the ones that had been around for multiple hours.

So lost in her own head, Virginia had barely noticed Alice moving near her. Although it was hard not to notice her when she finally spoke. “Yeah,” Virginia said with a dry chuckle. It was all just a game at first. Sure, drugging someone wasn’t particularly a silly little game, but in comparison to murders and stabbings? It was child’s play. “When I think about when this first started it just seems like... nothing was even happening then,” there was crazy truth or dare, the Cherry Bomb origin, Rory in the box, carousel bombings, and the fake kidnappings but at least no one died. Injuries, maybe, but not death. At Alice’s proposition, Virginia furrowed her brows in confusion. “Oh, um, I’m like super flattered but,” she leaned closer to Alice and whispered. “I’m not gay.”

↳ ✿❀✿

Libby doesn’t recognize the part of her that doesn’t want to fight with Virginia Virginia, but she’s tired enough not to want to question it. She’s been awake for too long, and she’s had her heart ripped out of her chest - why not mingle with a self-proclaimed enemy? Why not feel relieved to be tucked away in some dark corner of the hospital with someone who thought her a murderer until only a few hours ago? “We have some freak listening to, basically, every word we say. People that know things about us that they shouldn’t know.” Libby’s voice dipped in volume at the veiled mention of the Candy Girl - she couldn’t help herself. “If someone told you to keep quiet or they would kill you, and everyone you loved, wouldn’t you keep quiet?” It was as simple as that. She was terrified - scared of what might happened if she spoke. If only she knew that it didn’t matter either way. 

“I know how stupid it was. Trust me, I -” Libby’s voice cracked as she thought of Sabrina in her hospital bed; stabbed ten times, and asleep for… who knows how long? “I know how stupid it was.” 

🍒

Virginia wasn’t looking to extend an olive branch or make amends or sing kumbaya by any means with Libby, and while Virginia may have not been the most understanding or nicest girl towards Libby there was a simple truth. She couldn’t be a bitch to someone who’s sister was basically on a death bed. Virginia told herself Sabrina would be fine and it seemed like everything would be fine in due time, but there was always that sinking thought that she could be just another body like Lux or Blaire. “But...” Virginia tried to think of something to say, but Libby was right. “I don’t know, I guess I wouldn’t say anything but you could have written on like, a note or something. We would have helped you look less suspicious,” she paused, bringing her thumb up to her mouth, chewing on the tip of her nail. "I mean, I think some of us were really thinking you could have done something like this.”

Whatever. It happened. It was done and over with and no one could change that. All they had to do now was figure out which creep that was haunting them did this. “How is she?”

𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: hospital time <333

Since Blaire’s murder, and even long before that, Virginia had dictated that Libby was the number one suspect. To her, if it could have been anyone in the gang, it’d be her. She had been jumpy and distant... all in all, Libby had been off, and it was easier to point fingers at one of the people she hated the most than to think it could be anyone else. By the time they had found Sabrina, rushed to the hospital, and even Libby’s confession, Virginia knew it wasn’t Libby. And unless Libby had an accomplice or a hit out for her sister, it just couldn’t be her. Not one for apologies, though, Virginia had just pulled Libby to the side later that night.

“So, you really didn’t do it?” It wasn’t meant to be accusatory or get Libby riled up. They were all having a tough night, Casey and Libby most of all. “You have to admit that was super shady though. I mean, why didn’t you just tell us? I know it’s sort of stupid, but maybe Freyja was onto something about sticking together.”

who: open starter​ What: working on a car Where: Outside the trailer

West had spent the better part of the weekend since the Cherry Bomb dropped working. It kept his mind busy and kept him from spending his entire day drinking to excess. Sweat dripped from his brow as he finished up on a timing belt in one of the cars he was fixing up, wiping his hands off on a towel as he glanced up at the sound of foot steps. For a moment he was tempted to carry out his work. Pretend they weren’t there. How often was someone really coming looking for him, but the longer they stood there the less convinced he was that he was that he would be left alone. “If you’re gonna stand there, you wanna make yourself useful and grab me the jack from the back of the car?” He asked, making eye contact for the first time. “Or did you need something else?” 

🍒

“Who’s Jack?” Virginia asked, not completely paying attention to her surroundings as she was nose dived into a TigerBeat magazine. “Give me a sec, I’m doing a quiz to see which Boy Meets World guy would be my boyfriend,” she said, following her finger along the questions. It wasn’t unusual for Virginia to pop by the trailer when she had the down time. Now that she was eighteen, it wasn’t like there was a custody agreement anymore so the only time she saw him was at the garage or an occasional pop up at his house. “Is dad around here? I bought him a pack of Marlboro’s as a late Christmas gift,” she closed her ‘zine and reached in the back of the car West was working on. “Is this what you wanted?” She questioned, holding up the tool that she only assumed was the jack.

 🥀 𝖔𝖕𝖊𝖓 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖊𝖗

This year was going to be different, Audrina told herself. There was going to be no more murder, no more lies, no more secrets. It was all going to be out in the open … as soon as the investigation was over. Then after that it would all be different. The girl picked up her text books and turned towards the other as they prepared to walk to their next class. ❝ Okay, maybe I did drop her. So what ? It’s not like that’s a crime. I would know, with how much legal jargon my atterony’s been spewing at me, I’m pretty confident I could tackle the California bar at this point. ❞ she spoke before realizing just how psychotic she might sound to any passerby. ❝ I’ve been a little out of practice !Sue me. ❞ It’s not like she killed her, it was only a mild concussion.

🍒

Virginia had spent most of her high school life worshipping the ground that Audrina Archer walked on, until she left for college. Now that Audrina’s been back though, Virginia had quickly been promptly put back in her place. It wasn’t anything she minded, but every now and again she remembered how great high school had been without Audrina and Zahra around. Mainly because it was her on top. Being back down towards the bottom of the totem pole had done a number to Virginia’s ego, but as she heard Audrina speak, it was like she was back in high school again doing anything the other wanted. “You have an attorney?” Virginia asked, dumbfounded. Of course she had an attorney. Right now the only person giving Virginia advice were her parents. “I mean, I’m not saying it’s like the worst thing ever that you dropped her, but aren’t you scared that’s not a great look? Considering the whole public enemy kind of thing.”

𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗥! ​  𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧: using a certain secret santa gift voucher 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘: cherry’s closet

1999 is all about the silver lining. Maybe it’s the colour of the shiny cusp of the new millennium glam or maybe it’s just the sheer determination Mia has to not let Belle’s gift get to her (despite the fact she’d spent the best part of an evening whining in hushed whispers to her brother about it and hogging the sorority house phone to do so). At the end of the day, at least Belle’s little gesture was for the boutique rather than the thrift shop across the road. “What does this say to you?” She asks the person standing near her, extending a dress out from the rack to show them. “I’m going for a classy vibe.” 

🍒

Cherry’s Closet was not a place that Virginia went to for shopping needs. Mostly everything in there was far too much than anything she could ever afford. Instead, she only ever came in whenever she wanted to hang with Audrina or when her fingers tended to get particularly sticky. It may have been slightly psychotic to steal from her friend’s mom’s store, but it’s not like they would miss it. Rich people never did. Even after the LDB fiasco and the murder investigation, it should have kept Virginia from grabbing a new eyeliner or shoving a mini skirt into her bag, but as she passed the place, her klepto gears began turning. Not expecting anyone to pay attention to her, she was reaching for a new lipgloss that was on the cosmetic stand. Seeing Mia put Virginia right in her place though. She may have not been Belle or Pilar, but any Lambda Rho could be in general vicinity to her and she’d drop anything to help them out. “Uh,” like a deer in headlights, Virginia dropped the tube back onto the cosmetic stand and moved closer to Mia. “It’s really cute. It’s giving a total Old Hollywood look, you know? Definitely giving starlet vibes,” she commented. “What are you getting it for?”

🌪

Whether they were there for one of his parents, a friend, or himself, Ozzy has had plenty of run-ins with the police. Thankfully, for nothing even close to murdering a rich blonde chick. It’s times like these when he wonders if maybe he’d accidentally cursed Cherry Proper with his presence, like one measley kid from the South Side could disrupt their perfect world. Shit like this just didn’t seem to happen there, or if it did it was never on his radar. 

“Sounds to me like they’ve got nothing,” he shrugs, “If they did, they wouldn’t have taken all of you in. No offense to Paulie, but Cherry PD has no fucking clue what they’re doing.” 

🍒

Ozzy had a point. The department didn’t know what they were doing and they probably didn’t have anything, but what were her and the gang supposed to do? Play Scooby-Doo? They had just as much as the police department, albeit they were aware that everything that was going on wasn’t just some big facade. “They don’t,” she could excuse the jab to her brother. He was a part of the police department and he had Virginia blood, they were meant to be absolute dumbasses in the case of seriousness. “It just freaks me out, you know? I like don’t need a record before I’m 21... or get kicked out of school.”

“Well, he didn’t do shit to help clear our names when we were kidnapped right in front of him so maybe we should just assume he’s totally incapable of helping us,” Zahra replied. Was Paulie Virginia even an actual cop? Or was he just, like, playing the most annoying game of dress up in Cherry history? Because at this point Zahra was beginning to think he was entirely useless. She blew out a sigh, glaring down at her half-melted chocolate ice cream. “Yeah, no shit. Neither did I. But apparently the only way to counteract locking everyone in the Cherryplex was arresting twelve people as publicly as possible. Because that proves they’re actually doing something.”

🍒

“Okay, but that’s not his fault,” was it? Virginia didn’t take lightly to her brother being accused for something he maybe should have done months ago. “They ruled that up to being some fucked up prank, so I think he just thought the same,” Virginia concluded. Surely, that was why he didn’t say anything, right? “It’s fucked as shit,” she nodded, leaning forward and scooping more ice cream out of its bowl and into her mouth. “I mean, they’re definitely going to like frame us for this, right? I’m sure they haven’t looked into anyone else. Because you know who’s really shady? Those sorority girls,” a pause. “Or you know, if they finally found out who Candy Girl is. That’d put a nail in all of this.”

🌱

“Maybe he’s still feeling a little burned from the last time he was with all of us,” Rory poked at her strawberry scoop glumly. Last she’d scene, Paulie’d been introduced to one of the fake-candy-cohort’s baseball bat. She stuck her spoon in the half-melted mess and abandoned it there, resting her chin on her fist instead. It was gratifying to hear someone else complain about it all, instead of working herself into a distressed frenzy by herself. “None of us did anything,” Rory insisted, albeit more weakly than she might have a few weeks ago. Not knowing where the rest of the gang had been before they found them set her on edge. But she still didn’t believe anyone was capable of what they’d seen. “What evidence do they even have to arrest us? Don’t they need something?” 

🍒

“I don’t know, maybe,” Virginia murmured with a shrug. She hadn’t seen much of Paulie since that night on the beach anyway. Maybe he was still pissed at her for getting on his case that night or the reality of the situation was that Paulie was older and just didn’t come around much now that he had his deputy gig and was seemingly working on whatever cases there were. “Who knows? I think suspicion is good enough. Like, we’re already suspect number one. The moment someone sends in a tip that any of us were around Blaire, it’ll be game over,” Virginia was naturally worried about herself. She hadn’t actually done anything, but there was things that could implicate her. “It just really sucks for anyone who was too close to her, you know? ‘Cause I think they’ll definitely just try and pin it on one of us who were friends with her. Or hated her. Just to say they solved it.”