((Katelyn kicked her feet in place as she sat on the couch of her aunt and uncle's living room, humming a tune to herself.))
The living room of her caretakers' home could be best described as quaint. It was a somewhat small, beige-colored room that was overall unremarkable. What it did have though was plenty of seating, between its sofa, loveseat, and armchair, all of which were situated across from a large wall-mounted TV, with a rugged oak wood coffee table separating them.
Her sister and guardians weren't home right now. Ash was off at some sort of sports meetup because for the life of her Katelyn couldn't remember what sport Ash actually played. Her auntie and uncle, meanwhile, were off on some kind of date, probably making out or conjuring some other awful imagery that made Katelyn cringe to think about. Whatever it was, the point was that she was alone, and how exactly that was accomplished didn't make any difference to her.
Being alone was a blessing that Katelyn didn't often get, between school and living in a house with three other people. The peace and quiet that came with loneliness was something she relished whenever she got the opportunity to experience it. In the silence, she could feel her worries melt away, and finally be at peace. Without other people to remind her of her responsibilities and obligations, she could just allow herself to exist, and be happy with that.
That being said, though, loneliness could get pretty boring after a while. Even if people were the bane of her existence, they were also the main reason she continued to persist as she was. She didn't think she would like it if she lived in a world devoid of people beside herself. In a scenario like that, she might wander around for a time, seeing the sights and the natural beauty of the planet Earth, but after that? There wouldn't be any need for her to keep going.
Indeed, she had already gotten bored of being lonely roughly an hour ago, and had decided to send a message to the group chat with her friends, see if any of them wanted to stop by to visit. She'd head out to visit them herself, but a lot of them lived really far away, and she didn't want to bike there. She especially didn't want to ride a car there, heaven forbid. Just getting in one of those things was like pulling teeth.
Katelyn looked back up at the living room's television, Netflix's targeted advertising still blaring itself into her eyes, just like it had been for the last ten minutes. She had just finished watching I'm Thinking of Ending Things, a movie she had started solely because she could vaguely relate to the existential pondering in the title. She had been anticipating a cerebral experience, and had certainly gotten one out of it. Now, though, she was feeling up for something a little lighter. Maybe she could finally get around to watching more of the She-Ra show? She had liked the first season a lot, though she had forgotten to continue it after that.
She shook her head, in response to her own thoughts. Now wasn't the time for her to start anything else. She wasn't sure if anyone was gonna actually show up, but there wasn't anything wrong with just being by herself. Except for the fact that she didn't like herself, because she was stupid and ugly and also really bad at talking to people, and honestly she was just the worst. Except, no, she wasn't, that was a bad thing to think, she shouldn't think about that, her parents wouldn't want her to think about herself like that, right?
Suddenly she wasn't in the mood for this train of thought, anymore.
Katelyn watched her own feet as she kicked them in place, only to stop and wiggle her toes in her socks that looked like cats. Wow, she really just had feet, huh. Weird to think about the fact that she was just a strange ape with anxiety. So weird, so strange, so-
Goodness, she really was bored. She should really draw something or write something or do anything with her time other than-
Suddenly, Katelyn felt a thump next to her on the couch, only to turn and see the big, fluffy ball of black sunshine that made her life worth living, his eyes staring back at her, as wide as dinner plates.
"MISTER KITTY!" she shouted, the excitement in her voice evident, as if she hadn't seen him for over a hundred years, even if in reality it had only been a few minutes since he had jumped down and off her lap. "C'mere you!"
Mew Mew Kitty Cutie
OPEN... to Katelyn's friends.
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VoltTurtle
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As she had predicted the first weeks of school had been a painful process. California hadn't enjoyed the feeling of returning, knowing that her presence stood as some sort of unwelcome force infringing upon the natural order. People weren't supposed to get held back twice and they certainly weren't supposed to be held back in their Senior year. But after the accident and her depression she had failed to complete the majority of the year, even with everyone else putting forth their best effort to get her across the line. Despite her difficulties at socializing and meeting new people however she had managed to make a couple of new friends. One of whom had recently messaged a group chat she had been roped into.
She hadn't really become friends with Kitty as much as Kitty had claimed her as a friend after they spent enough time together. Truthfully, California had been happy to go along with it, even if she hadn't shown it. She had already known of Kitty through Salem and the fact he was going out with Kitty's sister Ash, but their encounters had always been brief. After spending a few weeks getting to know the younger girl better she found that although she was kind of weird on the surface she was actually dorky, endearing, and incredibly kind. Somehow, that meant that despite California herself wanting to just keep to herself and get through the year in as painless a manner as possible she was making her way to Kitty's house.
The reason California had decided to make the journey, aside from the fact it was the perfect time to have a cigarette, was because she found she genuinely enjoyed Kitty's company. But there was another side to Kitty's personality that she found resonated with her, due to a similarity in experiences. Which made perfect sense to California when she thought about it. She had been involved in a car accident that had nearly killed her and it had been bad enough, she couldn't imagine also losing her parents during it.
So maybe, California supposed, there was a protective aspect to her decision to go hang out with Kitty. She wanted to keep her friend company and make sure she was alright. Although even as the train of thought pulled into the station California couldn't help but feel like it made the whole thing sound overwrought. She grimaced to herself and shook her head a little in a vain attempt to dislodge the thoughts from her brain. Instead of dwelling on it further she instead turned her focus on the sights and sounds of the Salem streets as she finished off her journey.
The day itself was overcast and there was a chill breeze slowly drifting through the streets like a ghost. A few cars made their way past her as she walked, right hand in her jacket pocket while her left held the cigarette as she took another drag. One thing California had noticed as she had spent more time walking around Salem was how similar some of the streets tended to look. She assumed it was a function of the style of houses that made up a lot of the construction in the area, but she had spent her life in the city so she had a good handle on where she was going.
A few paces out from Kitty's front door California dropped the end of cigarette on the sidewalk and stubbed it out with the tip of her boot then lightly tapped it into the road.
That done she made her way up to the door and slowly knocked twice.
She hadn't really become friends with Kitty as much as Kitty had claimed her as a friend after they spent enough time together. Truthfully, California had been happy to go along with it, even if she hadn't shown it. She had already known of Kitty through Salem and the fact he was going out with Kitty's sister Ash, but their encounters had always been brief. After spending a few weeks getting to know the younger girl better she found that although she was kind of weird on the surface she was actually dorky, endearing, and incredibly kind. Somehow, that meant that despite California herself wanting to just keep to herself and get through the year in as painless a manner as possible she was making her way to Kitty's house.
The reason California had decided to make the journey, aside from the fact it was the perfect time to have a cigarette, was because she found she genuinely enjoyed Kitty's company. But there was another side to Kitty's personality that she found resonated with her, due to a similarity in experiences. Which made perfect sense to California when she thought about it. She had been involved in a car accident that had nearly killed her and it had been bad enough, she couldn't imagine also losing her parents during it.
So maybe, California supposed, there was a protective aspect to her decision to go hang out with Kitty. She wanted to keep her friend company and make sure she was alright. Although even as the train of thought pulled into the station California couldn't help but feel like it made the whole thing sound overwrought. She grimaced to herself and shook her head a little in a vain attempt to dislodge the thoughts from her brain. Instead of dwelling on it further she instead turned her focus on the sights and sounds of the Salem streets as she finished off her journey.
The day itself was overcast and there was a chill breeze slowly drifting through the streets like a ghost. A few cars made their way past her as she walked, right hand in her jacket pocket while her left held the cigarette as she took another drag. One thing California had noticed as she had spent more time walking around Salem was how similar some of the streets tended to look. She assumed it was a function of the style of houses that made up a lot of the construction in the area, but she had spent her life in the city so she had a good handle on where she was going.
A few paces out from Kitty's front door California dropped the end of cigarette on the sidewalk and stubbed it out with the tip of her boot then lightly tapped it into the road.
That done she made her way up to the door and slowly knocked twice.
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VoltTurtle
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Katelyn's head quickly swiveled towards the door, her eyes beginning to light up.
She shot up towards the door, her arms wrapped around her cat and holding him close to her chest. Mister Kitty was purring just as loudly as always, and felt so warm and soft against her chest. He already looked awfully big normally between his long black fur and huge frame, but he looked enormous being held by someone as short and scrawny as Katelyn.
By the time she shuffled over to the door, it took her a moment to fumble for the handle, trying to get it open while keeping a firm hold on her cat. After what was certainly an embarrassingly long time, she finally managed to get a solid grip on the handle and forced the inner door open. She nearly lost her balance pulling back, but managed to keep herself steady, if only so as to not topple over onto her best friend.
All in all, that was probably a travesty to witness.
She didn't let that thought show, though.
No, instead she was preoccupied with the thought that she was wearing the dumpiest outfit she could be wearing around company. Her frame was so lovingly decorated by a long-sleeved shirt and pair of sweatpants that were both so oversized for her it'd be easy to mistake her as wearing an actual trash bag. To make matters worse, her hair was in complete disarray, she hadn't even remembered to brush it that morning. It was probably sticking out all over the place and making her look like a feral cat.
It was the weekend, so the executive dysfunction was in full swing, but that was no excuse. What if someone thought she looked stupid like this? She could go get changed, but that would be like admitting defeat, which was also embarrassing. Maybe she should just pretend she meant to be dressed like this. Except that could be embarrassing anyway.
Or maybe she could do what her therapist told her, and trust that her friends won't think she's weird. Even if she is very weird. At least her outfit was still cat-themed, so if nothing else, she was still on-brand.
Now with the pontificating about her own inadequacies out of the way, she acknowledged her guest. California was the first and possibly only person to show up! She loved California a whole lot. She was super nice and also tall and also she had her own problems so that made it easy to relate to her, but most importantly she was also a really, really good listener. Katelyn could always count on California to be there if she needed it. In a lot of ways, California was like the big sister Katelyn wished she had.
"Hi Cali!" she chirped, only to trail off as she glanced over California's shoulder, seeing rolling black clouds in the far distance.
Katelyn hoped it wasn't about to rain. Not because she had any particular desire to go outside right now, but because she just didn't like storms.
She really didn't like thunder.
"U-um, you can come in," she continued, stepping to one side as her voice took on a noticeably nervous edge. "Y-you can sit anywhere you like."
She shot up towards the door, her arms wrapped around her cat and holding him close to her chest. Mister Kitty was purring just as loudly as always, and felt so warm and soft against her chest. He already looked awfully big normally between his long black fur and huge frame, but he looked enormous being held by someone as short and scrawny as Katelyn.
By the time she shuffled over to the door, it took her a moment to fumble for the handle, trying to get it open while keeping a firm hold on her cat. After what was certainly an embarrassingly long time, she finally managed to get a solid grip on the handle and forced the inner door open. She nearly lost her balance pulling back, but managed to keep herself steady, if only so as to not topple over onto her best friend.
All in all, that was probably a travesty to witness.
She didn't let that thought show, though.
No, instead she was preoccupied with the thought that she was wearing the dumpiest outfit she could be wearing around company. Her frame was so lovingly decorated by a long-sleeved shirt and pair of sweatpants that were both so oversized for her it'd be easy to mistake her as wearing an actual trash bag. To make matters worse, her hair was in complete disarray, she hadn't even remembered to brush it that morning. It was probably sticking out all over the place and making her look like a feral cat.
It was the weekend, so the executive dysfunction was in full swing, but that was no excuse. What if someone thought she looked stupid like this? She could go get changed, but that would be like admitting defeat, which was also embarrassing. Maybe she should just pretend she meant to be dressed like this. Except that could be embarrassing anyway.
Or maybe she could do what her therapist told her, and trust that her friends won't think she's weird. Even if she is very weird. At least her outfit was still cat-themed, so if nothing else, she was still on-brand.
Now with the pontificating about her own inadequacies out of the way, she acknowledged her guest. California was the first and possibly only person to show up! She loved California a whole lot. She was super nice and also tall and also she had her own problems so that made it easy to relate to her, but most importantly she was also a really, really good listener. Katelyn could always count on California to be there if she needed it. In a lot of ways, California was like the big sister Katelyn wished she had.
"Hi Cali!" she chirped, only to trail off as she glanced over California's shoulder, seeing rolling black clouds in the far distance.
Katelyn hoped it wasn't about to rain. Not because she had any particular desire to go outside right now, but because she just didn't like storms.
She really didn't like thunder.
"U-um, you can come in," she continued, stepping to one side as her voice took on a noticeably nervous edge. "Y-you can sit anywhere you like."
KAI ROSADO-PRINCE: PREGAME START
Kai enjoyed overcast, rainy days. He didn't quite wilt in the heat, but he preferred cool weather in general. Rainy and even stormy days had always soothed him. Sometimes he liked to just stand outside in the downpour, feeling the water soaking into his hair and clothes and rolling off of his skin. If he came into the house wet, Aunt Lettie always tutted at him and told him he was going to catch pneumonia, but he had a multi-year winning streak over the weather so far.
It wasn't raining yet as Kai's truck rolled through the residential streets at a leisurely pace, which was technically a good thing, since he was going to a friend's house and didn't need to show up soaking wet. Still, part of him wished it would. He didn't consider himself a reckless person, but he liked driving towards dark clouds and feeling a little bit like was in danger. The steady patter of raindrops rolling off the roof, lighting arcing across the sky, and the distant rumble of thunder that you felt more than heard. That was the good stuff.
Another part of him wondered if it was a little mean to hope for storms when he was heading to Kitty's house. He knew she hated them, and it would worsen her day more than it would brighten his if one started up. She hadn't yet responded to his text confirming that he could come over after work, which ideally meant that someone else had shown up to occupy her. Maybe she'd gotten engrossed in reading or drawing. If she'd fallen asleep, he'd feel kind of bad for waking her up.
It was a relief, then, for him to pull up to the driveway and see that someone was already standing on the porch with Kitty at the door. California. He didn't know her well, or at all. Kai barely socialized within his own grade and not at all outside of it, so she'd been mostly a nonentity to him until the start of the school year.
Taking her circumstances into account, it made sense that she and Kitty would be able to relate to each other. Kai didn't like to think about the specifics of those circumstances too much, in either case.
His truck was too bulky to park streetside without impeding someone else, so Kai pulled into the driveway far enough to hopefully leave room for another vehicle if a member of Kitty's family returned. Parking and stepping out, he raised one hand in greeting to the pair at the front door.
Kai enjoyed overcast, rainy days. He didn't quite wilt in the heat, but he preferred cool weather in general. Rainy and even stormy days had always soothed him. Sometimes he liked to just stand outside in the downpour, feeling the water soaking into his hair and clothes and rolling off of his skin. If he came into the house wet, Aunt Lettie always tutted at him and told him he was going to catch pneumonia, but he had a multi-year winning streak over the weather so far.
It wasn't raining yet as Kai's truck rolled through the residential streets at a leisurely pace, which was technically a good thing, since he was going to a friend's house and didn't need to show up soaking wet. Still, part of him wished it would. He didn't consider himself a reckless person, but he liked driving towards dark clouds and feeling a little bit like was in danger. The steady patter of raindrops rolling off the roof, lighting arcing across the sky, and the distant rumble of thunder that you felt more than heard. That was the good stuff.
Another part of him wondered if it was a little mean to hope for storms when he was heading to Kitty's house. He knew she hated them, and it would worsen her day more than it would brighten his if one started up. She hadn't yet responded to his text confirming that he could come over after work, which ideally meant that someone else had shown up to occupy her. Maybe she'd gotten engrossed in reading or drawing. If she'd fallen asleep, he'd feel kind of bad for waking her up.
It was a relief, then, for him to pull up to the driveway and see that someone was already standing on the porch with Kitty at the door. California. He didn't know her well, or at all. Kai barely socialized within his own grade and not at all outside of it, so she'd been mostly a nonentity to him until the start of the school year.
Taking her circumstances into account, it made sense that she and Kitty would be able to relate to each other. Kai didn't like to think about the specifics of those circumstances too much, in either case.
His truck was too bulky to park streetside without impeding someone else, so Kai pulled into the driveway far enough to hopefully leave room for another vehicle if a member of Kitty's family returned. Parking and stepping out, he raised one hand in greeting to the pair at the front door.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Kitty answered the door looking like she had only recently got out of bed, which given the fact it was a weekend was understandable. She stepped over the threshold when Kitty invited her inside and gave Mister Kitty a quick scratch behind the ear. He was a big cat, and Kitty holding only served the emphasize his size. As Kitty spoke she started to trail off and California followed her gaze, looking over her shoulder at the oncoming clouds. They weren't particularly close, instead seeming content to sit ominously on the horizon, but Kitty still sounded worried about them.
"I don't think it's supposed to rain today," California said in an attempt to ease any concerns Kitty had. "But if it does it'll ruin the Sox game, so there's that." As the three of them—she was including Mister Kitty—stood looking at the clouds, a truck pulled up Kitty's drive. As it finished parking and the driver stepped out California recognized them as Kai. He was easy to recognize given his height and dreadlocks but California didn't know him well at all. In fact, she was fairly sure that them spending time at Kitty's together would be the most they'd been in each other's company. So she guessed she was going to get to know a new person. Fun. She didn't even know how he and Kitty had ended up becoming friends, although she assumed it would have been a similar situation to hers. When he waved at them she waved back out of politeness before stepping deeper into Kitty's house, eyes drawn to the family photos hanging on the wall.
"You mind if I make a coffee?" She called back to Kitty.
"I don't think it's supposed to rain today," California said in an attempt to ease any concerns Kitty had. "But if it does it'll ruin the Sox game, so there's that." As the three of them—she was including Mister Kitty—stood looking at the clouds, a truck pulled up Kitty's drive. As it finished parking and the driver stepped out California recognized them as Kai. He was easy to recognize given his height and dreadlocks but California didn't know him well at all. In fact, she was fairly sure that them spending time at Kitty's together would be the most they'd been in each other's company. So she guessed she was going to get to know a new person. Fun. She didn't even know how he and Kitty had ended up becoming friends, although she assumed it would have been a similar situation to hers. When he waved at them she waved back out of politeness before stepping deeper into Kitty's house, eyes drawn to the family photos hanging on the wall.
"You mind if I make a coffee?" She called back to Kitty.
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 1525
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"Y-Yeah, go ahead!" she called back to her friend. "The kitchen is n-near the back! I think my auntie has some in the c-cabinet above the coffee maker!"
Katelyn took a deep breath as she turned back to the front of her home. California was right, there wasn't supposed to be any rain today. Except she could already here the faint rumbling of distant thunder. Maybe the worst wouldn't pass over them, and she could keep herself steady. She hoped so, she had to take her small mercies wherever she could get them.
At least she had something more important to think about than the rain.
"KAAAIII!" she called out.
She let her cat down before sprinting towards him. Her cat dutifully followed her, the bell on his collar jingling faintly with each step he took. She flew into Kai, almost tackling him in the process, and clung tightly to him in a hug. Normally she didn't do well with physical contact. She was naturally skittish, and getting touched would normally make her jump. Except she knew Kai really well, and more importantly, Kai gave the best hugs.
"You know, you're really tall," she said with a grin, just like every time she saw him.
Katelyn relinquished her grip on her friend shortly thereafter. Reaching out, she took hold of one of his hands and gave it a gentle tug. "Come inside, yeah?"
Katelyn took a deep breath as she turned back to the front of her home. California was right, there wasn't supposed to be any rain today. Except she could already here the faint rumbling of distant thunder. Maybe the worst wouldn't pass over them, and she could keep herself steady. She hoped so, she had to take her small mercies wherever she could get them.
At least she had something more important to think about than the rain.
"KAAAIII!" she called out.
She let her cat down before sprinting towards him. Her cat dutifully followed her, the bell on his collar jingling faintly with each step he took. She flew into Kai, almost tackling him in the process, and clung tightly to him in a hug. Normally she didn't do well with physical contact. She was naturally skittish, and getting touched would normally make her jump. Except she knew Kai really well, and more importantly, Kai gave the best hugs.
"You know, you're really tall," she said with a grin, just like every time she saw him.
Katelyn relinquished her grip on her friend shortly thereafter. Reaching out, she took hold of one of his hands and gave it a gentle tug. "Come inside, yeah?"
The truck pulled in, Kai got out, and that was Ren's cue to start pedaling towards Kitty's house. Except, well, not quite; they'd wait a minute or two first. If Ren started moving at the exact moment that Kai pulled in, then, if anyone noticed, people would surely think they were up to something, because that was a weird thing to do. It was weird, right? They weren't overthinking things again?
Ren pulled at one of exposed strands on their jeans, absently. They'd always hated being the first to arrive at a party, or gathering, or whatever. Not a rare feeling, Ren knew--showing up early to a party got you labelled as uptight or square or whatever, something they had never really been able to understand--but they couldn't stand trying to make conversation with someone when they knew that the convo would be cut off as soon as someone else got here. Like trying to work on homework while in the waiting room at the dentist's office, there was no time to or point in settling into a social dynamic that could be broken up at any point without warning. And so, rather than heading straight to Kitty's house, Ren had opted to stop at the street corner and wait for someone else, anyone, to get there first.
Waiting in a car would've been weird, of course. Ren didn't want to seem like they were out on stakeout.
That left them with no choice but to bike all the way here, so here they were, sweaty and gross and honestly maybe slightly smelly, despite the coolness of the air on their skin. Exerting yourself when it's humid and you're not terribly in shape? Not the best idea. Not that any of Ren's friends would judge them over it, but. Still. They hated to be off-putting. Not to mention the possibility of biking home in the middle of a thunderstorm. Really, the sensible thing to do would've been to simply drive to Kitty's house and endure the possibility of several minutes of social awkwardness, or the heartbreak of having to cut short a really engaging conversation before it could properly start. Ren had known that before they got on the bike to beat on, feet against the slope, born back ceaselessly etc., but by then they were emotionally committed to the idea of biking to Kitty's. To drive at that point would've felt off in a way that was almost painful.
The sound of Kitty opening the door brought Ren back out of their head. They'd allowed enough time to pass; time to go. They dug their soles into the pedals and pushed, and seconds later they were wobbling to a stop behind Kai's car.
Thank gods Kitty was still in pj's.
Ren allowed a corner of their mouth to quirk upwards into a smile. They should've known.
Ren Vu: Pregame Start
Ren's arm went up, their hand shivering with just the faintest suggestion of a wave. I'm here.
Ren pulled at one of exposed strands on their jeans, absently. They'd always hated being the first to arrive at a party, or gathering, or whatever. Not a rare feeling, Ren knew--showing up early to a party got you labelled as uptight or square or whatever, something they had never really been able to understand--but they couldn't stand trying to make conversation with someone when they knew that the convo would be cut off as soon as someone else got here. Like trying to work on homework while in the waiting room at the dentist's office, there was no time to or point in settling into a social dynamic that could be broken up at any point without warning. And so, rather than heading straight to Kitty's house, Ren had opted to stop at the street corner and wait for someone else, anyone, to get there first.
Waiting in a car would've been weird, of course. Ren didn't want to seem like they were out on stakeout.
That left them with no choice but to bike all the way here, so here they were, sweaty and gross and honestly maybe slightly smelly, despite the coolness of the air on their skin. Exerting yourself when it's humid and you're not terribly in shape? Not the best idea. Not that any of Ren's friends would judge them over it, but. Still. They hated to be off-putting. Not to mention the possibility of biking home in the middle of a thunderstorm. Really, the sensible thing to do would've been to simply drive to Kitty's house and endure the possibility of several minutes of social awkwardness, or the heartbreak of having to cut short a really engaging conversation before it could properly start. Ren had known that before they got on the bike to beat on, feet against the slope, born back ceaselessly etc., but by then they were emotionally committed to the idea of biking to Kitty's. To drive at that point would've felt off in a way that was almost painful.
The sound of Kitty opening the door brought Ren back out of their head. They'd allowed enough time to pass; time to go. They dug their soles into the pedals and pushed, and seconds later they were wobbling to a stop behind Kai's car.
Thank gods Kitty was still in pj's.
Ren allowed a corner of their mouth to quirk upwards into a smile. They should've known.
Ren Vu: Pregame Start
Ren's arm went up, their hand shivering with just the faintest suggestion of a wave. I'm here.
Kai braced himself when Kitty came barreling at him. She was tiny, but that was still 100-odd pounds of pure excitement coming right at him. He set his feet and caught her around the shoulders, only letting out a small grunt as she faceplanted right into his chest.
"Yeah," he agreed to her comment about his height. The cat that had followed Kitty down the driveway meowed in solidarity. She slipped out of his arms and took him by the hand instead. Kai let her pull him towards the house, watching his feet around Mr. Kitty.
Mr. Kitty and Miss Kitty, he thought, smiling faintly. It was a thought he had almost every time he visited her house. The cat was ever-present, either in Kitty's lap or lounging nearby. He tolerated Kai, in Kai's estimation. That was probably as good as he could hope for. Despite his regular time spent outdoors, he had never been one for handling animals.
"Is anyone else-" He started to ask, before the squeak of bike pedals sounded at the end of the driveway. Glancing back, Kai caught Ren waving. Or at least, he thought they were waving. That could have been a jitter. Ren, like Kitty, was tiny. They could have been feeling the chill of the air. He raised his free hand to them, regardless.
"Ren's here," he informed Kitty instead of finishing his question.
"Yeah," he agreed to her comment about his height. The cat that had followed Kitty down the driveway meowed in solidarity. She slipped out of his arms and took him by the hand instead. Kai let her pull him towards the house, watching his feet around Mr. Kitty.
Mr. Kitty and Miss Kitty, he thought, smiling faintly. It was a thought he had almost every time he visited her house. The cat was ever-present, either in Kitty's lap or lounging nearby. He tolerated Kai, in Kai's estimation. That was probably as good as he could hope for. Despite his regular time spent outdoors, he had never been one for handling animals.
"Is anyone else-" He started to ask, before the squeak of bike pedals sounded at the end of the driveway. Glancing back, Kai caught Ren waving. Or at least, he thought they were waving. That could have been a jitter. Ren, like Kitty, was tiny. They could have been feeling the chill of the air. He raised his free hand to them, regardless.
"Ren's here," he informed Kitty instead of finishing his question.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
Kitty hadn't been wrong, the kitchen was in the back and there was a cabinet above the coffee maker. Opening it California was confronted by a collection of tubes with different colored ends, each color marking a different flavor, each more obscure than the last. Picking up a tube with a pink end that revealed itself to be a Colombia Master Origin coffee—whatever that meant—California removed a pod, placed it into the machine, and set the mechanical coffee maker to work. From the front of Kitty's house, she heard her call out in greeting to Kai.
There was no rush in going to meet him. California wouldn't force herself to do that, although she knew that Kitty would have wanted her to make an effort. She could also hear Salem's voice in her head saying that she should make an effort. And while she understood that desire she didn't see any reason to rush doing it. She hardly knew the kids she shared her year group with and wasn't going to see them again once they all graduated, but that was also a negative attitude to take and she'd spent a lot of time talking about that with her parents. She needed to at least make an effort.
The beep of the coffee maker brought her back to reality and with a cautious hand California reached out to take the mug. Slowly raising it up to her lips California blew gently on the contents of the mug before taking a small sip and it was fine, it was coffee. The cardboard tube advertised a smooth balance and seductive aromatics and sure. If that was the fanciful way they wanted to describe it. It was coffee.
Coffee in hand California made her way back through the house towards the front door. Once Kitty and Kai were in sight she stopped and leaned against a doorway.
"Hey," She said, before taking another sip from her mug.
There was no rush in going to meet him. California wouldn't force herself to do that, although she knew that Kitty would have wanted her to make an effort. She could also hear Salem's voice in her head saying that she should make an effort. And while she understood that desire she didn't see any reason to rush doing it. She hardly knew the kids she shared her year group with and wasn't going to see them again once they all graduated, but that was also a negative attitude to take and she'd spent a lot of time talking about that with her parents. She needed to at least make an effort.
The beep of the coffee maker brought her back to reality and with a cautious hand California reached out to take the mug. Slowly raising it up to her lips California blew gently on the contents of the mug before taking a small sip and it was fine, it was coffee. The cardboard tube advertised a smooth balance and seductive aromatics and sure. If that was the fanciful way they wanted to describe it. It was coffee.
Coffee in hand California made her way back through the house towards the front door. Once Kitty and Kai were in sight she stopped and leaned against a doorway.
"Hey," She said, before taking another sip from her mug.
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 1525
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
Katelyn's head abruptly swiveled towards Ren, her eyes lighting up.
"Ren!"
She let go of Kai's hand sprinting over to her friend, not quite slamming into them the way she had with Kai, but she still barely waited for them to come to a stop before throwing her arms around them. The sound of her cat's collar jingling alongside her as she rested her head on her friend's shoulder, eyes closed.
"It's so nice to see you!" she squeaked.
Ren was someone that Katelyn related to better than anyone. The both of them were awkward and struggled in social situations, but doing anything with someone else can help make it feel so much less scary. Ren was always good at being there when she needed it, and no matter what Katelyn wanted to talk about, they always seemed so interested and engaged. If there was anyone that Katelyn thought she could confide anything with, it was them. She loved them a lot, just like all her good friends.
She let go of her friend, giving them a big toothy grin, her fake fangs poking out.
"I drew some cool stuff earlier, and I think you might like it! You can park your bike out back, then come with me!"
With that, and without actually waiting to see if Ren and Kai were following her, she sprinted back towards the door, Mr. Kitty running after her, attached at the hip as he was. It seemed California had gotten her coffee really fast, which impressed Katelyn, because whenever she tried to make coffee, she always took so long to do it. That wasn't a surprise though, California was good at a lot of things that Katelyn thought were hard, it was part of what made her so cool.
Speaking of cool! Her friend looked so cool just existing casually, leaning against the door frame like she was. Katelyn could never look that cool, even if she put all the effort in the world into it. Maybe one day when she was older she could be like California. She hoped she could manage it. Her parents would probably be proud of her.
She stopped at the door, panting softly after her short burst of energy, looking back towards her friends, and the ominous gray clouds above.
Katelyn really hoped it wasn't going to rain.
"C'mon everyone! Let's go... do things!"
"Ren!"
She let go of Kai's hand sprinting over to her friend, not quite slamming into them the way she had with Kai, but she still barely waited for them to come to a stop before throwing her arms around them. The sound of her cat's collar jingling alongside her as she rested her head on her friend's shoulder, eyes closed.
"It's so nice to see you!" she squeaked.
Ren was someone that Katelyn related to better than anyone. The both of them were awkward and struggled in social situations, but doing anything with someone else can help make it feel so much less scary. Ren was always good at being there when she needed it, and no matter what Katelyn wanted to talk about, they always seemed so interested and engaged. If there was anyone that Katelyn thought she could confide anything with, it was them. She loved them a lot, just like all her good friends.
She let go of her friend, giving them a big toothy grin, her fake fangs poking out.
"I drew some cool stuff earlier, and I think you might like it! You can park your bike out back, then come with me!"
With that, and without actually waiting to see if Ren and Kai were following her, she sprinted back towards the door, Mr. Kitty running after her, attached at the hip as he was. It seemed California had gotten her coffee really fast, which impressed Katelyn, because whenever she tried to make coffee, she always took so long to do it. That wasn't a surprise though, California was good at a lot of things that Katelyn thought were hard, it was part of what made her so cool.
Speaking of cool! Her friend looked so cool just existing casually, leaning against the door frame like she was. Katelyn could never look that cool, even if she put all the effort in the world into it. Maybe one day when she was older she could be like California. She hoped she could manage it. Her parents would probably be proud of her.
She stopped at the door, panting softly after her short burst of energy, looking back towards her friends, and the ominous gray clouds above.
Katelyn really hoped it wasn't going to rain.
"C'mon everyone! Let's go... do things!"
Weather report had said a fifty percent chance of rain, and in Ashlyn's experience coins were loaded and dice weighted, so. She was making a concerted effort to get the groceries for the week done before Mom and Dad got back home, and for that she'd need the spare car that she'd elected to not take to practice today.
|| Ashlyn Graves, Thread 4 ||
Only Kitty would be home when she got back, by her calculations. Home was just a fifteen minute cool down jog from school, but the adults of the household would be out until late: Mom helping a friend moving, Dad at work, then they'd meet after hours for a date. Bit awkward to think about but Ash could appreciate, maybe ironically maybe not, that romance wasn't desiccated and tasteless if one put the work into it. No shortage of hard work Ash put into her day-to-day, but maybe she needed to pay a bit more attention to her boyfriend? Worth reflecting on anyways, because she inevitably never had enough ideals to idly berate herself for failing to live up to.
Wind chill hit her right under the breast and she adjusted her old coat that she always wore for full coverage. Could Kitty could tell this apart from any of the other sports teams jackets? Ash was suspicious that Kitty couldn't even tell the sports themselves apart. Bit of an uneven dynamic there because Ash was positive she could readily distinguish the more obscure of her little sisters hobbies if only because of conversational osmosis, but that was all good. Not everyone put in the effort or wanted to, if it worked for them more power to them.
Ash rounded the street corner their house edged up against. Someone had parked in the driveway, fortunately leaving the driveway still clear enough for Ash to skate past it with some behind the dashboard trickery. Leaving aside the brief and vivid image of two trucks lip-locked by their mangled engines. Ash could parallel park without sweating, she had this one under control.
Ash smoothly slowed her pace with no dents in her lungs. Looked like the truck was one of Kitty's friends, and the bike leaning against it was another one. Deduced from the fact that she could see the entire gathering of TTRPG player slash ritual fodder hovering in varying states of trying to escape the visually imminent downpour.
Ashlyn raised a hand and smiled her typical solid-feeling smile. The one with just a little tooth, or at least that's how she remembered it looked in her earliest memories drilling in front of a mirror. She didn't say anything because, uh, duh. Nobody wanted her to speak, definitely not Ren, most likely not Kitty... who was the dude? California maybe deserved a more thorough greeting, but its not like they spoke much despite Ash having dated her brother for the better part of two years.
Crap, something else that was probably a glaring oversight to be remedied someday. Ash had just gotten the impression some time early on that Cali was more the introverted and quiet sort, and she'd elected to respect that from early on. It probably wasn't an excuse to avoid awkward conversations, because Ash was definitely ready to barge into those if they were ever needed with a potential sister-in-law. Oof, oof, that train of thought needed to fireball in station. Boom, there it went.
Not skipping a beat Ash politely broke eye contact, politely avoided the front door blockade, the car keys she'd brought along clicking and the garage door sliding open as she angled herself straight that-a-ways.
Someone had brewed coffee and it smelled good. Had to be Cali, because unfortunately there was no way Kitty knew how to turn a coffee machine on without setting the kitchen on fire. Ash would wager her soul against Lucifer on that one, though to be fair she'd probably do that for a lot of things.
|| Ashlyn Graves, Thread 4 Ended ||
Actually, if Cali was here... Put in a quick text and maybe she could fit in a detour? Ugh. How detrimentally heterosexual of her.
|| Ashlyn Graves, Thread 4 ||
Only Kitty would be home when she got back, by her calculations. Home was just a fifteen minute cool down jog from school, but the adults of the household would be out until late: Mom helping a friend moving, Dad at work, then they'd meet after hours for a date. Bit awkward to think about but Ash could appreciate, maybe ironically maybe not, that romance wasn't desiccated and tasteless if one put the work into it. No shortage of hard work Ash put into her day-to-day, but maybe she needed to pay a bit more attention to her boyfriend? Worth reflecting on anyways, because she inevitably never had enough ideals to idly berate herself for failing to live up to.
Wind chill hit her right under the breast and she adjusted her old coat that she always wore for full coverage. Could Kitty could tell this apart from any of the other sports teams jackets? Ash was suspicious that Kitty couldn't even tell the sports themselves apart. Bit of an uneven dynamic there because Ash was positive she could readily distinguish the more obscure of her little sisters hobbies if only because of conversational osmosis, but that was all good. Not everyone put in the effort or wanted to, if it worked for them more power to them.
Ash rounded the street corner their house edged up against. Someone had parked in the driveway, fortunately leaving the driveway still clear enough for Ash to skate past it with some behind the dashboard trickery. Leaving aside the brief and vivid image of two trucks lip-locked by their mangled engines. Ash could parallel park without sweating, she had this one under control.
Ash smoothly slowed her pace with no dents in her lungs. Looked like the truck was one of Kitty's friends, and the bike leaning against it was another one. Deduced from the fact that she could see the entire gathering of TTRPG player slash ritual fodder hovering in varying states of trying to escape the visually imminent downpour.
Ashlyn raised a hand and smiled her typical solid-feeling smile. The one with just a little tooth, or at least that's how she remembered it looked in her earliest memories drilling in front of a mirror. She didn't say anything because, uh, duh. Nobody wanted her to speak, definitely not Ren, most likely not Kitty... who was the dude? California maybe deserved a more thorough greeting, but its not like they spoke much despite Ash having dated her brother for the better part of two years.
Crap, something else that was probably a glaring oversight to be remedied someday. Ash had just gotten the impression some time early on that Cali was more the introverted and quiet sort, and she'd elected to respect that from early on. It probably wasn't an excuse to avoid awkward conversations, because Ash was definitely ready to barge into those if they were ever needed with a potential sister-in-law. Oof, oof, that train of thought needed to fireball in station. Boom, there it went.
Not skipping a beat Ash politely broke eye contact, politely avoided the front door blockade, the car keys she'd brought along clicking and the garage door sliding open as she angled herself straight that-a-ways.
Someone had brewed coffee and it smelled good. Had to be Cali, because unfortunately there was no way Kitty knew how to turn a coffee machine on without setting the kitchen on fire. Ash would wager her soul against Lucifer on that one, though to be fair she'd probably do that for a lot of things.
|| Ashlyn Graves, Thread 4 Ended ||
Actually, if Cali was here... Put in a quick text and maybe she could fit in a detour? Ugh. How detrimentally heterosexual of her.
V8 Vibes:
V7 Vibes:
"Things, yes! I was gonna..."
Ren trailed off as a dart of the eye told them that someone else was here; another glance identified the figure as Ash. No--Ashlyn. A wave and a polite smile directed at them, and--well, what was she doing here? Kitty hadn't invited her, Ren was sure of that, not that she needed an invitation to her own house--but she was nevertheless the intruder, whose presence claimed the space around it and made Ren unwelcome here. Hurry up. Or else state why you are here. A second passed, and Ren blinked.
Ash(lyn) flicked her eyes away. She moved, a little too quickly, a little too casually, towards the garage. Then, all too slowly, she disappeared inside, her footsteps clattering and echoing in the distant way that footsteps do when you can no longer see them.
Ren realized, with a start, that their arms were still around Kitty.
Slowly they deflated, releasing a breath they hadn't realized they were holding, their tight-wound body collapsing and curling around Kitty as they pulled her in naturally; they hadn't properly returned her hug earlier. They usually weren't much good at them, giving or receiving. They couldn't have been this stiff the whole time, could they?
But Ren was always stiff in the arms of others. As you know by now.
Extricating themself, Ren found their voice in their throat, and words emerged. "Um...right. Art. I have things for you, too, that I made. They're in my car. Back home," they added, a little unnecessarily. They'd put some costuming stuff in a box in the car several days ago, so that they'd be ready to go next time they met up with friends. "Forgot to bring them." Ha.
Kitty was here. Kai was here and California was here. Ren shivered, slightly. Nobody cares, really. Which was probably right. There was neither need nor want for spoiling the mood; after all, there were things to do!
Turning back towards the bike and shuffling awkwardly towards it, Ren said, to no one in particular, "Don't let me keep you waiting, okay? Out here. You know." They glanced at the sky.
"I'll catch up with you guys in a second," they said as they pulled their bike to the side and began walking it towards the backyard; and then they were out of view.
Ren trailed off as a dart of the eye told them that someone else was here; another glance identified the figure as Ash. No--Ashlyn. A wave and a polite smile directed at them, and--well, what was she doing here? Kitty hadn't invited her, Ren was sure of that, not that she needed an invitation to her own house--but she was nevertheless the intruder, whose presence claimed the space around it and made Ren unwelcome here. Hurry up. Or else state why you are here. A second passed, and Ren blinked.
Ash(lyn) flicked her eyes away. She moved, a little too quickly, a little too casually, towards the garage. Then, all too slowly, she disappeared inside, her footsteps clattering and echoing in the distant way that footsteps do when you can no longer see them.
Ren realized, with a start, that their arms were still around Kitty.
Slowly they deflated, releasing a breath they hadn't realized they were holding, their tight-wound body collapsing and curling around Kitty as they pulled her in naturally; they hadn't properly returned her hug earlier. They usually weren't much good at them, giving or receiving. They couldn't have been this stiff the whole time, could they?
But Ren was always stiff in the arms of others. As you know by now.
Extricating themself, Ren found their voice in their throat, and words emerged. "Um...right. Art. I have things for you, too, that I made. They're in my car. Back home," they added, a little unnecessarily. They'd put some costuming stuff in a box in the car several days ago, so that they'd be ready to go next time they met up with friends. "Forgot to bring them." Ha.
Kitty was here. Kai was here and California was here. Ren shivered, slightly. Nobody cares, really. Which was probably right. There was neither need nor want for spoiling the mood; after all, there were things to do!
Turning back towards the bike and shuffling awkwardly towards it, Ren said, to no one in particular, "Don't let me keep you waiting, okay? Out here. You know." They glanced at the sky.
"I'll catch up with you guys in a second," they said as they pulled their bike to the side and began walking it towards the backyard; and then they were out of view.
"Hey," Kai returned California's greeting as he, Kitty, and Ren haphazardly made their way through the front door. Mr. Kitty came along, scampering between the various pairs of feet impeding his progress. He meant to say more to Cali, but then Ashlyn appeared.
So they were all just going to sort of pretend she wasn't there, as she passed through? They were? Alright.
Ashlyn had never been one of Kai's favorite people. Kitty's relationship with her was, to put it bluntly, bad. In the infrequent interactions that Kai had with Ash, she acted put-upon by Kitty's very presence and the fact that her sister dared to have interests and friends. Like she was doing now, looking at all of them like they were aliens while she drifted through the house. Kai could read the room, so he acknowledged her as much as he would any other ghost. Ghosts weren't real.
When she had gone again, leaving the atmosphere somehow heavier in her wake, he resumed speaking. "Coffee?" He glanced from California back to Kitty and Ren, implicitly asking if they wanted him to make a cup for them too. Though it sounded like Ren was leaving already.
So they were all just going to sort of pretend she wasn't there, as she passed through? They were? Alright.
Ashlyn had never been one of Kai's favorite people. Kitty's relationship with her was, to put it bluntly, bad. In the infrequent interactions that Kai had with Ash, she acted put-upon by Kitty's very presence and the fact that her sister dared to have interests and friends. Like she was doing now, looking at all of them like they were aliens while she drifted through the house. Kai could read the room, so he acknowledged her as much as he would any other ghost. Ghosts weren't real.
When she had gone again, leaving the atmosphere somehow heavier in her wake, he resumed speaking. "Coffee?" He glanced from California back to Kitty and Ren, implicitly asking if they wanted him to make a cup for them too. Though it sounded like Ren was leaving already.
"Art enriches the community, Steve, no less than a pulsing fire hose, or a fireman beating down a blazing door. So what if we're drawing a nude man? So what if all we ever draw is a nude man, or the same nude man over and over in all sorts of provocative positions? Context, not content! Process, not subject! Don't be so gauche, Steve, it's beneath you."
California nodded back a response to Kai, letting the boy know she had heard and acknowledged his greeting. Then like the others, she caught sight of the ghost of Ash moving through the house. She didn't greet them and California didn't greet her in turn, instead, her eyes just followed the girls' movements as she drifted past their group and vanished out of sight. California was familiar with Ashlyn, the other girl's status as her younger brother's girlfriend meant they shared the same space frequently enough. But their direct encounters were limited to whenever they passed each other in California's house or were at the same event. Ashlyn was always a shadow in California's life, existing on the periphery of her awareness. The brief cameo she had made in the day was yet another example of that. As California considered her relationship with the younger girl she realized she didn't know much about her outside of what Salem had told her, but those sorts of details were for friends, and she wasn't friends with Ashlyn.
Once Ash had disappeared off to wherever she was heading to next, California's eyes and attention returned to the other three because it turned out that Ren had arrived at some point. She wasn't entirely sure how it had ended up happening but it also seemed like Ren was leaving just as soon as they had arrived. They said they would catch up with them which implied they were going to return, but California wasn't sure what the rush was.
California shrugged in response to Kai's question. She already had a coffee so she stepped back into the kitchen to give him space to enter. He was shockingly tall in comparison to Kitty and was tall even compared to California herself. As she watched him her right thumb gently rubbed at part of the smooth skin from the scar that ran from her neck and over the right-hand side of her mouth. Then she pulled her attention away from him and back to Kitty.
"What things are you thinking?" She asked.
Once Ash had disappeared off to wherever she was heading to next, California's eyes and attention returned to the other three because it turned out that Ren had arrived at some point. She wasn't entirely sure how it had ended up happening but it also seemed like Ren was leaving just as soon as they had arrived. They said they would catch up with them which implied they were going to return, but California wasn't sure what the rush was.
California shrugged in response to Kai's question. She already had a coffee so she stepped back into the kitchen to give him space to enter. He was shockingly tall in comparison to Kitty and was tall even compared to California herself. As she watched him her right thumb gently rubbed at part of the smooth skin from the scar that ran from her neck and over the right-hand side of her mouth. Then she pulled her attention away from him and back to Kitty.
"What things are you thinking?" She asked.
-
VoltTurtle
- Posts: 1525
- Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:10 pm
- Location: Dreamland
Katelyn stayed quiet as Ashlyn arrived, surprised that her sister was home already. She had been operating under the assumption that Ashlyn would be gone for the whole day, but that had clearly been wrong. She kept her eyes fixed on her sister as she crossed their lawn, like a cat keenly watching an unfamiliar threat.
To say that their relationship was strained would be an understatement. There was this constant undercurrent of awkwardness whenever they were in the same room with each other, let alone when they actually interacted. Ashlyn always treated her with kid's gloves, constantly and casually belittling her and acting like she was a porcelain doll always moments away from breaking. The only real activity they shared together was sometimes watching horror movies, but there was always a tense atmosphere present when they did that, and it wasn't because of the movies. Really, the only reason Katelyn even agreed to it was because she wanted Ashlyn to feel better about their relationship, and spending that time together caused Katelyn just as much stress as anything else.
She did want their relationship to be better, but she couldn't get over how Ashlyn had treated her in the past. Whenever she saw her sister, all she could remember was all the screaming. The hitting. The blame. The blame for- it wasn't her fault. She hadn't done anything wrong. It was just an accident and yet Ash still-
Whenever she saw her sister, all that deep-seated hurt would bubble back up. She wanted everything to be less hostile between them, but it wasn't her responsibility to repair their relationship. She had been a victim of abuse, and she owed nothing to her abuser. Yet, she still felt a desire to reach out and try. Ashlyn wasn't the same person as the little girl that had terrorized her all those years ago. She saw how much Ashlyn was hurting, despite the fact that her sister tried so hard to hide it. She knew that maybe if they worked together, they could both be happier.
But Ashlyn would never accept help, least of all her help.
Katelyn reached out one hand towards Ashlyn as her sister went towards the garage, only for her to stop mid-motion, frown, and let her hand fall back to her side. As much as part of her wanted to invite her sister to hang out with her friends, it was better this way. She didn't need the extra stress.
Her eyes darted towards the clouds in the sky.
Especially not right now.
Whatever though! Friends were good! She liked her friends a lot! Kai was here! California was here! Ren had gone around back, but they would be back, and then they could hang out and have fun!
"Um," Katelyn started to reply. "I just t-told Ren, b-but..."
Her stutter had gotten so much worse, all of a sudden. Ashlyn's presence had a way of doing that to her.
"I c-could, uh, show you g-guys my drawings!" she chirped, her tone not matching how off-balance she sounded. "I d-drew one of my OCs g-getting cut into p-pieces!"
That was a weird thing to say, and she knew it, but her friends understood. They loved her for her, and she didn't need to hide herself from them.
"B-But it's, uh, okay, b-because all the blood is c-candy colored. I, uh, used a l-lot of pastels..."
She wouldn't show them the actual gore drawings. She was still worried they would judge her for those. She knew they wouldn't, but it was still hard and scary to be honest about herself. There was always that gnawing worry in the back of her head that she would go too far and her self-expression would push her friends away. Getting over that hurdle was a challenge every single time, for every single person.
"We c-could, um, also play video games, or s-something, if you guys want..."
To say that their relationship was strained would be an understatement. There was this constant undercurrent of awkwardness whenever they were in the same room with each other, let alone when they actually interacted. Ashlyn always treated her with kid's gloves, constantly and casually belittling her and acting like she was a porcelain doll always moments away from breaking. The only real activity they shared together was sometimes watching horror movies, but there was always a tense atmosphere present when they did that, and it wasn't because of the movies. Really, the only reason Katelyn even agreed to it was because she wanted Ashlyn to feel better about their relationship, and spending that time together caused Katelyn just as much stress as anything else.
She did want their relationship to be better, but she couldn't get over how Ashlyn had treated her in the past. Whenever she saw her sister, all she could remember was all the screaming. The hitting. The blame. The blame for- it wasn't her fault. She hadn't done anything wrong. It was just an accident and yet Ash still-
Whenever she saw her sister, all that deep-seated hurt would bubble back up. She wanted everything to be less hostile between them, but it wasn't her responsibility to repair their relationship. She had been a victim of abuse, and she owed nothing to her abuser. Yet, she still felt a desire to reach out and try. Ashlyn wasn't the same person as the little girl that had terrorized her all those years ago. She saw how much Ashlyn was hurting, despite the fact that her sister tried so hard to hide it. She knew that maybe if they worked together, they could both be happier.
But Ashlyn would never accept help, least of all her help.
Katelyn reached out one hand towards Ashlyn as her sister went towards the garage, only for her to stop mid-motion, frown, and let her hand fall back to her side. As much as part of her wanted to invite her sister to hang out with her friends, it was better this way. She didn't need the extra stress.
Her eyes darted towards the clouds in the sky.
Especially not right now.
Whatever though! Friends were good! She liked her friends a lot! Kai was here! California was here! Ren had gone around back, but they would be back, and then they could hang out and have fun!
"Um," Katelyn started to reply. "I just t-told Ren, b-but..."
Her stutter had gotten so much worse, all of a sudden. Ashlyn's presence had a way of doing that to her.
"I c-could, uh, show you g-guys my drawings!" she chirped, her tone not matching how off-balance she sounded. "I d-drew one of my OCs g-getting cut into p-pieces!"
That was a weird thing to say, and she knew it, but her friends understood. They loved her for her, and she didn't need to hide herself from them.
"B-But it's, uh, okay, b-because all the blood is c-candy colored. I, uh, used a l-lot of pastels..."
She wouldn't show them the actual gore drawings. She was still worried they would judge her for those. She knew they wouldn't, but it was still hard and scary to be honest about herself. There was always that gnawing worry in the back of her head that she would go too far and her self-expression would push her friends away. Getting over that hurdle was a challenge every single time, for every single person.
"We c-could, um, also play video games, or s-something, if you guys want..."