surface pressure

INTRODUCING → Ximena Guadalupe Flores De Jesus

The Basics 

Name: Ximena Guadalupe Flores de Jesus

Age: 49

Birthday: 5th of May 1973

Zodiac sign: Taurus

Occupation: Currently on a vacation from her job as a Cancun resort bar manager 

Gender: Cisgender female (she/her)

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual

Place of residence: Downtown, Peak Seasons Hotel

Hometown: San Miguel del Puerto, Oaxaca, Mexico

Relationship status: Single

Face claim: Ana de la Reguera

~

Ximena nodded at the woman’s lack of knowledge about the struggles of her mother coming to America alone. Good, it’s probably better for her. “Wait - San Miguel del Puerto?” Her eyes widened at the mention, “That’s my hometown.” She marveled, unbelieving she just happened to meet someone who had ties to that godforsaken place. “What’s her name?” She wondered, not remembering anyone else who left the village after she and her cousin took off, but figuring this could’ve been afterwards. “Yeah, just visiting some relatives.” She mumbled, not getting into details of her story with this cashier girl. “Uhm, I think I’ll try, but getting a visa is really hard so uh, we’ll see.”

~

The man’s peppy words brought an honest smile to Ximena’s face, delighted by how dearly this man loved his wife. “Lucky you.” She mentioned with a slight smirk on her face. “I met her a few times around town, she’s very sweet. Pretty much the only person who talked to me in Spanish.” She recalled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, I might. Depends on how long I’m staying in town for.” More like, how likely is her visa request to be approved or denied. She was tickled by how the puppy ran towards them and immediately greeted, her, to which she kneeled down and reached out her hand to him. “He’s so sweet, no worries.”

There were plenty of words that could have been used to describe the woman in question, none of which were friendly or positive. “Headstrong is one way to put it. Cold stubborn bitch is another.” She offered a small smile with an arched brow at the insult. She hoped Ximena wouldn’t mind her bitter honesty, but clearly she’d experienced the lack of Ty charm already herself. Tongue poked at the inside of her cheek as nails dug into the palm of her hands and formed half moon crescent indents. “Don’t let that fool you. It’s just a tattoo. People do dumb things.” That’s what that was, right? A dumb thing. It was a wonder the woman hadn’t already gotten it covered up seeing as they’d both accepted their fate or the lack of one. “I wouldn’t even bother.” She couldn’t promise that Ty wouldn’t throw a punch, but not everyone was looking for dumb trouble like Ver was. “I think you’re doing just fine.” Patient, but also pushing enough to get answers where she could. It was admirable, really. A cold laugh fell from the baker’s mouth as knuckles ghosted white as she managed to clench her fists a bit tighter. “It’s a complicated story, but to keep it simple. We were together, she did that cooking show, flirted with someone else like I didn’t even exist, came home and everything blew up from there. I lost a lot of trust in her and when I realized that it could happen again if it happened so easily with someone she barely knew, I decided I couldn’t stay. So, I left.” No calls, no texts, no warnings. It wasn’t her proudest moment, but what else was she to do? “I shouldn’t have left, but I didn’t think staying was an option and I was already hurting enough. It was… selfish.”

~

Ximena scoffed a little but shook her head, trying to not get sucked into this till-talk, no matter how tempting it was. She should be on Emmy’s side now, even though so many people on Emmy’s side seemed to be against her in particular. “Mhm, sure, sure.” She nodded in disbelief at the baker’s words, though still doubtful that this tattoo didn’t mean anything. After all, if it really was meaningless, she could’ve gotten it covered by now. “Noted.” She got the woman’s drift, getting the hint that she should stay far from Ty as much as possible. When Ver explained the story of her and Emeline, Ximena nodded. She recalled watching that show, but had no idea what was going on behind the scenes. It wasn’t nice to hear, but it was Verda’s experience. “Oh, wow.” She muttered, “I don’t blame you. It seems like you both have things you could’ve done differently but... That’s human, you know?”

~

Ximena raised her eyebrow at Ingrid, able to relate to that story. Maybe it worked out better for this girl’s mom than it did to her. “Must’ve been challenging.” She answered, not wanting to bore this woman with her own sob story. “Do you know what part of México she’s from?” She wondered; the country was huge, but maybe she could locate it. “It’s a nice town.” She shrugged her shoulders, “But I know hometowns can get boring.” She agreed with her, handing Ingrid her credit card. “Interesting, that’s for sure.”

~

❀⊱┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄┄⊰❀

Unlike some of the people Ximena ever hooked up with, she really did like Wes in an endearing kind of way. She had no illusions, this passionate night isn’t going to blossom into this once-in-a-lifetime romance, but it was good fun and the most important part, she didn’t feel too gross for following her drunken impulses. She woke up a little earlier, still diving into the airbnb and searching for a cheaper option rather than her hotel room when the man woke up. “Hey, you.” She snuggled up beside him, “Glad you woke up, after last night I was pretty sure you and I both died or something.” She joked.

~

Ximena let out a bit of a devilish grin as Markus brushed her off her question, “What? I just need to know if I need to book another flight soon for your wedding.” She smirked, honestly having no clue what is her next step at this point and merely going with the flow. “I swear she did not.” She did, but her son didn’t need to know that. Besides, what’s the fun about being an aunt if you can’t bug the little jerks from time to time? “Here? I don’t know. Not for you, I think.” She laughed, wondering how to bring up the subject of her visit to Markus. This was so incredibly awkward. “I’m the worst matchmaker anyway. If I was any good I’d find myself someone by this point.” She joked. “Lots of pretty American girls here, though. Can’t imagine you’re struggling this hard.”

Emmy took a breath and shook her head. “I wasn’t trying to find anyone. I was mainly trying to see if I’d live past forty.” Without either of her parents there to tell her about her history, she grew up not knowing much about it at all. Where her ancestry came from, what medical conditions she was pre-disposed to, any family traditions she may have had… all were just things Emmy had always guessed on but never knew about herself until she dared to take the genetic testing that had unexpectant paired her up with a relative. “To be completely honest, I never expected any relative to have taken one too. I never really thought past the whole mom and dad thing.” It never occurred to her that outside of having a mom who gave birth to her and a dad who helped conceive her that there may have been aunts and uncles and cousins and potential siblings out there that she’d fine. She was in her early twenties and impulsive. “Wow, that’s… ironic.” Maybe a little sketchy too, but she tried to not think too much into it. Weirder things had happened to her in Providence Peak. “You can take the job, you’re an adult who’s allowed to make your own choices to benefit yourself, right?”

~

Ximena nodded her head, figuring it made sense for someone with a blank page for family medical history to do these genetics quiz stuff. “Well, my dad had type II diabetes, but that’s about it.” She recalled, figuring that’s all of the death-related illnesses that ran in her family. She wondered why would she call her here if she was only after medical info, can’t help but thinking there was a part of Emmy that did want to reconnect, in some kind of way. Better not get her hopes up, though. “Yeah, I think he just wanted to the ancestry test. Find out if he was part African, or something.” She chuckled, “Did anyone from your dad’s side contact you?” She couldn’t help but to wonder. If it weren’t for Emmy, Ximena often wondered if she simply imagined Jack, as he really did leave without a trace. “Yeah, it’s... Does this town have like a lost souls magnet or something? I feel like this is all very coincidental,” She addressed the strange turn of events. “Right.” She agreed, though still doubtful. “I doubt something will come out of it, I have a criminal record, getting the work visa isn’t so simple.” She sighed, “Even if I don’t get it I uh, would love to stay in touch somehow. If you want to come to México one day too, it’s... I would be really happy about it. Now my army of nephews and nieces are bugging me about seeing their American cousin.” She chuckled, though catching herself, “No stress, only if you want to.”

~

Ximena turned her gaze towards the puppy, having a feeling like that dog was familiar. “Ay, bonito.” She smiled, as the penny dropped. “Wait, maybe I’m making an idiot out of myself, but are you married to Alicia?” She recalled Cooper being the kind doctor’s dog, as well as the woman’s facebook photos featuring the couple together. Yes, she was pretty sure it was him. “No, I want one though.” She told him, still not over the loss of her longtime dog who passed away in the midst of the pandemic. A great time, indeed. “Uh, yes, sure.” She nodded.

Just when she thought there was nothing that could make her feel better about the moment, the woman went and surprised her. Verda’s lips twitched upwards at the corners at the mention of Tyler being worse. “Yeah, she’s not my biggest fan either. Truthfully, it’s mutual.” How could she ever like someone she couldn’t trust? While she held no claim to Emmy, it still stung to know that those two had crossed that line yet again. If anything, it should have been just another reason to move on. The baker shook her head as a quiet sound of laughter spilled from her mouth. Significant was an understatement. “I’m surprised she said anything at all. She’s not exactly the honest type.” One minute, the woman would leave you a voicemail and the next, she would claim it to be nothing more than a drunken mistake. Neither being the truth she wanted to hear. “If you have any questions, you should ask. I’m probably the closest thing to getting an answer you’ll get. I’m sure you know this already, but don’t even try with Ty.” The woman was fiercely protective over Emmy and it probably wouldn’t get Ximena anywhere but angry. “She’s complicated, but who isn’t? I hope you’re patient, because you’re going to need to be.”

~

Ximena couldn’t push back a relieved grin as she saw Verda’s smile; apparently she too had unfortunate run-ins with Taylor. Maybe she was just like that to all people? “I don’t know her, she seems... Headstrong.” She mentioned for a lack of a better word; she truly didn’t want to get all mean towards her daughter’s friends, but frankly she slightly terrified of the girl. “Well, we end up having a few intense discussions, as you can probably imagine, and... She has your name on her arm, it’s hard to miss that.” She recalled, wondering what Verda meant by saying Emmy wasn’t the honest type. She was afraid to ask. “Yeah, I am a little scared she’s going to beat me up. Hopefully the dog barks but doesn’t bite?” She raised her eyebrow. “Yeah, it’s okay, I figured this won’t be easy and it’s... I’m patient, I never thought this chance would come to me so I am trying my hardest.” No matter how emotionally taxing that is. “I mean I just wanted to ask... I mean, what happened? You two were a couple, I guess?”

~

Ximena let out a small grin as her remark made Lorelai laugh, feeling like they’re already off to a good start. She needed to feel like an agreeable human being again, lately she felt like all she does is accidentally causing stupid drama between herself and her daughter, or worse, strangers who had strong opinions about their whole story. “She is. I don’t have a spine, and also, she’s my boss, so I have to agree.” She joked with the other woman, obviously she adored Nazli and enjoyed her attempts of caring for her. “Sounds like it.” She nodded, “For how long you’ve been in town?” She asked her, looking up at her as she realized their extreme height difference. Oh well, being 5′3, she was no stranger to feeling like a hobbit whilst standing next to other people. “How’s the weather up there?” She smirked. “I say let’s walk, my phone has this thing where it counts the steps and I think I’m standing at like... 3,000, not enough.” 

~

Ximena let out a scoff and nodded her head, knowing exactly what Elijah meant. In a way, she felt like her own life was constantly overcoming obstacles, one thing at a time. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt true free and not ridden with burden. “I get that.” She simply mentioned, having the feeling that neither of them really wants to get into an emotional conversation right now. She couldn’t help a giggle as the man joked about knowing Nazli, “She’s incredible, yes. Small world indeed.” She she agreed with him, still dumbfounded by how so many significant people turned out to be here in Providence Peak. “Exactly. I guess I’m kind of letting god decide- apply for a work visa, and see if the assholes approve. Most likely they won’t, so... This whole thing is probably pointless.” 

location: the open range

character: @providencepeakstarters​​ ( capping at 2 )

With it being Cooper’s first official trip to the dog park, Bennett felt his heart trying to beat straight out of his chest. Was he big enough to play with the other dogs yet? Would they like him? He sucked in a deep breath as he unclipped the leash from Cooper’s collar and watched as he went out into the fenced area to roam free in a place where he could be himself. “It’s so tough watching them grow up. One day they’re just a pup, the next they seem like a full grown dog,” he explained with a gentle voice and soft smile. “It’s his first time here and I’ll be honest, I’m a little nervous. Any tips for a first time dog dad at the dog park? I feel like I should just let him do his own thing.” 

~

Ximena hasn’t given up on the idea of getting into shape, and after healing from her sprained ankle she went back into action. After thirty minutes of jogging on the trail she found herself nearly fainting from the heat, so she decided to take a sip out of the water fountain near the dog park. Being the animal lover she is, she lingered for a moment near the open range when a man started talking to her about letting their pets roam around the garden. “Oh, I’m not- I’m just stopping here.” She clarified awkwardly, “I guess just... Let him do as own thing, as long as he doesn’t start a fight?” She tried her luck. “Which one’s yours?”

~

Ximena scoffed, trying to not seem like an utter bitch while rejecting Elijah’s niceness. It was weird, meeting the man so casually in a friendly manner when not too long ago she was in a crowd cheering at his performance; fate worked in twisted ways. She assumed rockstar Elijah never envisioned settling in a small, Coloradian town but here he was, doing just that. “Yeah? That’s great, why surprisingly?” She couldn’t help but to question. “Ye- Yes! Nazli, she’s a dear friend. You know her?” She responded to his query, figuring it’s bound to happen in a small city but still surprised at the notion. It really was a small world, as it seemed. “Yeah, uh, thanks. I’m not sure what I want, honestly, I’m just going with the flow at this point.”

~

Ximena let out a small smile when the other woman got her drift immediately, glad that at least she doesn’t think she is the creep. With many events that caused her to lose her faith in men years ago, she was always happy to help out a girl in need. She offered the stranger a smirk as she put her arm around her, happy to see the scumbag sheepishly making his way out of their eyesights. “No worries, I’ve seen this guy around here sometimes and he’s pinche estúpido...” She cussed, rolling her eyes. “Oh- it’s all good, no worries.” She was quick to tell the woman, not wanting to seem like she only helps people for a chance to get freebies, “Just a beer, classic porter.” She told the bartender, deciding it’s ruder to reject the offer than to take it. “It’s my pleasure, seeing guys’ disappointed faces it my hobby.” She joked “I’m Ximena. Do you usually go to bars alone? I’m pretty sure I checked out every bar in this town and this is the first time I see you.” 

She blinked. “N-Nei?” Her brows furrowed and for a moment, she grew very confused. Did she mixed things up? Sure, her English has improved a lot after spending nearly twenty years primarily in the States, but it wasn’t perfect. “Wait, wait…” She traced back what she said, trying to figure out if her words hadn’t translated the way she meant. “Okay… Okay, okay, so! Stomias Point is an amusement park in Bighorn Hills, full of rides and stuff, like the carnival. But yeah, a regular park where the most thrilling thing is a jungle gym with an epic swirly slide is also good!” Looking back at her friend, she smiled sheepishly. “I probably should’ve explained that better the first time… I’m really sorry about that.” Her features softened and she looked down at her fingers as they absentmindedly played together. Nodding, she looked up at her friend. “I could say the same for you,” she mused. “Nineteen. He recently had his birthday. How… How old is your daughter?”

~

Ximena was perplexed, hating to seem like an idiot in front of her boss and friend, but still needing the explanation. “Ahh, yes, yes.” She nodded, now getting Nazli’s intention. For someone who skipped middle school and high school she had quite the English skills, yet she still felt like a complete fool for mixing up terms. “So, big rides make me sick, but a walk down the park is great.” She clarified, not wanting to seem like the complainer type. “No worries, no se preocupe.” She assured her. “Yeah, I don’t know... I don’t really feel like a mother, last time I saw my daughter she was four.” She grunted, worrying Nazli will now think of her to be a bad person for so-calling ditching her kid. “Nineteen.” She noted, pretty much understanding what happened between Nazli and her son based off the small age difference between them, but not wanting to ask too many personal questions. “She’s... Thirty.” She answered, hating how much of her daughter’s life she missed. “Did you meet him yet?” She wondered, before catching herself. “You don’t have to answer, it’s cool. I guess I’m just looking for someone to relate to, you know?”

~

Ximena sneered at the man, “Oh, you’re definitely drunk.” She chuckled, certainly not feeling beautiful but preferring to not get into an argument with a guy who’s been nothing but nice to her. Besides his obvious good looks, the woman didn’t forget his kind manners which gained him a small place in her heart. “Oh, yeah?” She lifted up her gaze, diving into a mindless kiss, “My place or yours?”