The Good in Everyone

[LeslieFranc]

((Cecil Salazar-Loveless continued from And Now, Our Feature Presentation))

The unwavering conviction of Cecil’s friend to make him step out of his comfort zone backed up by her stubborn and relentless nature was something he endures to this day, to this very moment. Sometimes there are hard-fought victories, and sometimes he’s overwhelmed from the powerful force that would lead him to his suffering. He thought he could brush off the nonchalant appeal to his concern about possible consequences reflecting the school, but when a sudden attack that came in the form of his family’s encouragement for him to get out of the house, the only expected outcome was resounding defeat.

And that was how Cecil found himself moving towards the entrance to a place that is definitely not his scene. He really would’ve preferred being at home. Read a book or two. Check out those recommendations he got from Ned. That would get him a judgmental stare from the regular pool crasher, and he’s not in the mood to let her usual harsh words bounce off him.

Camila’s arm wrapped around his arm, while actually hung on him loosely, still felt more like a vice-like grip due to the circumstances that brought him here in the first place. He’d be comfortable, if he wasn’t so busy trying to be more annoyed than resigned.

"Ain't it loud." She wasn't speaking to anybody. She had company though, slightly behind her and company some distance ahead of her. A milling together of several folks and a few of them were familiar faces. "Surprised nobody's called the cops yet."

“Yet,” he muttered quietly under his breath. Hopefully not, or I’m never doing this again. Although he’d think that he’s more qualified in making sure nobody gets critically injured instead of arrested.

They walked into a small crowd the minute some people walked out. He eyed the remaining people quickly as Camila talked to a guy he’s not completely familiar with, shooting a polite smile at anyone who met his gaze. However, it’s pretty clear that he doesn’t really know any of these people.

Cecil glanced back at Camila just in time to see her tossing something to guy who seems to be the welcoming committee, raising an eyebrow but not saying anything.

He’s got an idea on what’s inside, but also plausible deniability.

"Before you ask. Confiscate it, don't, either way."

“Not even keeping it a secret from me, huh?” he blurted out with a sardonic smile directed at Camila.

Who’s staring at him like…huh. With expectation? It’s hard to tell with her.

His smile faltered a bit.

“What?”

[Tonyksin]

Regina was happy that Forrest accepted the offered treat. The poor girl looked like she needed something to bring her back to earth a little. Wyatt came over and offered his two cents about the baked goods, and it made her smile to hear that he was happy they were just regular brownies. Gina was glad that no one was overtly disappointed that there wasn’t drugs in the baked goods. When she was baking everything, she just figured that people would need something to snack on that would help stabilize them from all the other things they’d be ingesting over the course of the night. It was good to see that she made the right choice. Grinning, Gina stood back up from her crouched position next to Forrest and turned to look at Claude, who’d interjected with his own two cents about how Forrest should slow down. Regina could understand where he was coming from, after all he was just trying to look out for her, but at the end of the day this was Forrest’s house and she could be as messed up as she wanted. Regina was about to defend the girl a bit, but was interrupted by the arrival of a new face.

A boy was dropped off in front of the house in a very embarrassing manner by his mother. Regina felt herself cringe a bit as she watched the boy approach. She felt for him, sometimes parents can be super lame without realizing it. Regina wanted to try and make the boy feel better, but she honestly didn’t really know who he was. She was sure she’d seen him around at school before, but she didn’t think they’d ever interacted, and it was hard for her to place his name. Luckily, before she could ruminate on it for too long, Claude’s voice rang out and called the boy by name. Reuben! That was it! Now that she’d heard the name she felt a bit more familiar. Lavender also greeted the boy, and all of a sudden it finally clicked in Regina’s mind how she recognized the boy; he was the mascot! Happy that the mystery was solved, Regina also offered a greeting to the newcomer.

“Hey there!” She smiled sweetly.

Some small commotion behind her drew her attention away from Reuben, and she turned to see that Wyatt was picking Forrest up to bring her back inside the house. That was probably for the best. She’d be more comfortable inside, that was for sure. As they went in Regina watched and waved at their retreating forms. With those two gone, Gina returned her attention back to the three people still outside with her.

“Well, I suppose we should be heading in, huh?” She grinned. “Don’t wanna miss all the fun, do we?”

Just as soon as she offered the question, another voice cut through the music coming from the house, signalling the arrival of two new faces. These two were a bit more familiar to Regina, but not by much. Camila and Cecil, she knew their faces and names, having shared classes separately with both of them, but she didn’t really know either of them very well. Then again, that’s part of the reason she liked to come to parties like this, you got a chance to connect with other students you might not get to just at school. Camila tossed something at Claude as she approached, and told him to either confiscate it or don’t. Gina figured that meant it was probably drugs of some sort. Not that Gina was a prude or anything when it came to that kind of thing, but it just wasn't for her. Other people could do what they wanted though, no judgement. Just wasn’t her cup of tea.

All of a sudden it seemed to get uncomfortably tense with all the newcomers, so Regina wanted to try and break the ice a little. A little kindness goes a long way, right?

“Well I’m glad to see that I wasn’t the only one who showed up late.” She giggled a bit. “Seems like it’s pretty fun in there, if the noise level is any indication.” Gina walked back to the left behind bag of sweets.

“I guess I should start to head inside. Ya’ll coming?”

[blastinus]

Reuben breathed a sigh of relief. Wyatt didn't recognize him. Good. Good. He could live with that. His heart rate could go back down to normal. So intently had he been focusing on what Wyatt would do to him, he almost missed what Claudeson was saying so secretively. All he could do was offer a strained smile and hope that Claude wasn't telling him his fly was open.

He didn't have much of a plan for the party. His parents had insisted on him going because they figured he needed more social interaction, and he'd agreed because, hey, maybe they had video games. Nothing livened up a gathering quite like a few games of Mario Party, no? Seeing as everyone was invited, there had to be somebody who was doing something that he'd enjoy, and if not, that's what his laptop was for. He'd have to ask Forrest for the wi-fi password at some point or other, but that could wait until Wyatt had stopped hauling her around like a sack of potatoes.

Nodding politely to Claudeson about...whatever he had said, he noticed that a few others were saying hi as well. He recognized Lavender of course, and gave his fellow cheerleader a timid wave back. It was weird to think that so many people knew him when he didn't make an effort to get to know other people. The thought that his fellow classmates actually paid attention to him and were scrutinizing him and forming opinions of him...okay yeah, there went the heartrate back up again.

Fortunately, Regina came to the rescue, offering a good transition for people to enter the party on. He nodded and said, "O-oh, yeah. Good idea. Thanks. I'll, uh, I'll just be going then. Yeah." Sliding around Claudeson, trying desperately to not bump into anyone gathered here, he walked through the front door and into the cacophony of noise.

Wait, he pondered, does Forrest even own a Nintendo Switch? Well, he supposed he was going to find out shortly.

(Reuben Walters continued elsewhere)

[Cactus]

With only a moment to react as Wyatt picked up Forrest and entered the house with her quite literally on his shoulder, Claudeson simply blinked in surprise and turned his attention back to the door. While he may have been a lot of things, Wyatt Carter did seem to have his priorities in line with his own right now and at the very least Forrest would wake up on a couch or in her own bed rather than splayed out in a bush or on the lawn. If she even woke up at all. Drug use was a slippery slope - he supposed they'd see what happened in the morning.

As the next set of newcomers traipsed up the front path, Claudeson's face brightened. He recognized the female part of the two-headed cerberus preparing to enter the den of debauchery behind him. At her greeting, he nodded in confirmation.

"Camila! Me, indeed." Allowing his teeth to show through his smile, he held his palms up in front of him, as though to encompass the event in a nutshell. "It is a party, the party; of course I'm having a good time."

His left hand flew up and caught the small baggie that suddenly hurtled his way, and he looked down, face falling as he studied the contents. Marijuana, most likely. His shoulders only sagging a touch, he gently tossed an affirmation back in Camila's direction.

"Unless your marijuana is going to act as an explosive, I cannot see any reason why I need to take it off your hands. I think I can look past it for you, Camila." He winked, though that was faulty reasoning. He hadn't confiscated anything at all, let alone one younger student who'd come to the party carrying a very obvious switchblade in his pocket. No one had recognized him, and he'd made a show of it, sending a message that he didn't intend to keep consistent to. Camila was his friend, and even if he hadn't been loose with the entrance requirements, he'd have likely given her the courtesy. Taking an inventory of everyone's personal items wasn't something he was prepared to do, and while he didn't trust his classmates not to drug themselves into a stupor, he did know that the vast majority of them probably wouldn't get into a knife fight on the premises.

Even Tyrell and Wyatt weren't that stupid, as they'd already proven. Perhaps a pair of broken clocks were right twice per day.

Turning his attention back to the others, Reuben seemed to decide that his business at the front door had concluded as Regina suggested that they make their way in. Of all the people at the doorway, he was probably the most harmless, and Claude couldn't imagine him getting into any kind of altercation or starting any trouble at all. Admittedly, he was a little confused the mascot was even here. While this kind of gathering wasn't his idea of a good time, he didn't see Reuben as the kind who would like it any better, though for different reasons. Nodding to the boy as he slipped into the house, he instantly vanished from Claudeson's memory. Camila's friend seemed uncomfortable and didn't acknowledge him, so he gave him a basic nod before looking back at Regina, who seemed not to want to enter alone.

He didn't blame her. While he played an integral role in this large party gathering, he preferred to remain ignorant of the goings-on within. He currently had plausible deniability for everything outside of Forrest getting high in front of him, and now - Camila's marijuana. That was fine by him.

"Please, do not let me keep you from enjoying yourselves! As far as I am concerned, the party is yours to enjoy. It's a big house." He paused, injecting some enthusiasm into his voice. "Just go in and have fun!"

He glanced at Lavender out of the corner of his eye as he addressed the others. A part of him suspected that she might linger. If she were indeed staying sober as he knew that she would, what lay within the house were things he suspected she wouldn't enjoy: debauchery and sin. The beginnings to eternal damnation for some of them, he was sure. The very edge of the slippery slope.

Claudeson smiled at the group, moving aside to let them all through.

[Grand Moff Hissa]

The state of the entrance checkpoint remained in constant flux. Wyatt hoisted Forrest and carried her off, and Lavender barely suppressed a frown. He didn't seem to be up to any trouble, but it just didn't sit right. High or not, Forrest was entitled to her autonomy. She hadn't asked for a boost, and who was to say if she wanted to go inside? It was her right to make her own mistakes, and casually ignoring that was pretty classic Wyatt.

Lavender really, really had to make sure someone kept an eye on the girl and made sure she didn't end up with her pants around her ankles. Unless that was what she wanted, that is.

Camila and Cecil arrived before any progress on briefing or enlisting Claudeson on that front could be made, and Camila drew all possible attention by tossing a baggie of what was almost certainly drugs right over to Claudeson. Lavender was torn between appreciating the upfront nature of the admission and feeling for the awkward position it surely put Claudeson into. But he played it off, nice and cool, and didn't seem fazed, which was yet another point in his book.

They made an odd pair, in some ways, Camila and Cecil. Cecil wasn't the sort Lavender expected to see on the party circuit, and certainly not arriving in the company of the drug brigade. But maybe there was more to him than met the eye. She had him pegged as a slightly more composed geek, perhaps somewhat socially astute but a bit prim and proper, but she could be way off base.

Reuben took off, and Regina was likely about to follow. Lavender gave a wave, but when the girl asked if they were joining her said, "I'll catch up in a bit."

Then she gave the other newcomers another smile and said, "Welcome, welcome."

[Deamon]

And then Forrest was being picked up. For a moment she considered resisting but that sounded like effort.

Instead, she just put on an over the top neutral expression and let it happen.

This was her life now she guessed.

((Forrest Quin continued in Reflections))

[Cicada]

“Not even keeping it a secret from me, huh?”

"Nope."

Supposedly he'd tried to smile at her in that uselessly insincere way meaning 'please no' without actually saying it. She'd missed it when she'd refocused her attention.

.......... "I think I can look past it for you, Camila."

"All I needed to hear," she grinned with reckless caution. "Lack of outward grandstanding appreciated." She readily expected some sort of withheld judgement. Irrelevant judgement if it made no actual impact on her progress. His thoughts, his providence, as Claude himself would put it. She admired him, in past and present tense.

She noticed Lavender's greeting smile, offered an ungraciously toothy reply, a confident tilt of her head. The others were right as much as their words were all wasted in redundancy. The night was young. Cecil's youth was a particularly virgin blossom.

“I guess I should start to head inside. Ya’ll coming?”

"You heard her." Her hand was still on Cecil's arm, she still had leverage which she could orient into a doorwards tug. While she herself remained coolly still. He was a tall boy, but a stick of one who she could bodily prove the laws of inertia to if he didn't bother to resist with more than the usual half-hearted half-assed protest.

"Don't wanna miss the fun. Or, stay out here." Either way, he wasn't getting away from the unfamiliar faces. "Promises to be fun too."

Claude, of course, would not be rid of her just yet. She held her empty hand out expectantly.

[LeslieFranc]

A quiet scoff escapes Cecil’s lips at Camila’s blunt “Nope.” but didn’t say anything more. If they weren’t in front of company he might have made more of an attempt to resist or judge her harder, even if he gets hit again with another one of her blunt verbal attacks that tend to leave him speechless at times.

But not offended. Not that much anyway. Jabs at his lack of social life are nothing new.

So it has come to this point, huh? He inwardly sighs.

If his parents catch Angel with weed in the future, he knows whose direction he’d be pointing at. Or not at all. Shit.

But he supposes he’s not the only one lenient with her. The guy in the front door, Claude, Camila called him, seemed to be only disappointed before gently confirming that he’s letting her get away with it. Camila’s pretty happy about it all and all, and Cecil guesses that they must be pretty close, taking their familiarity into account.

Turning his attention back at him and taking note of the natural way the guy presents a warm disposition, Cecil found the impression of a kind person. Of course, he’s not the best judge of character just from a look, but he thought Claude seemed nice. Maybe. He had a nice smile anyway.

Paying no mind at the guy and the girl with brownies considering they already decided to leave, he glanced at the remaining girl who seemed to be planning on hanging out by the front door. Cecil smiles back, but he’s starting to get a little impatient, wondering when will Camila decide to enter with him.

Sure, the party isn’t his idea of a good time, but it’s what he came here for. Right? So what’s the hold up? Cecil’s just confused now. It just seemed like delaying the inevitable.

Cecil can’t exactly tell what Camila’s expecting or planning, but that’s not my fault.

“So are we going in or not?” he almost snapped at her, but said it in a controlled enough manner with a similar controlled smile.

[Tonyksin]

Regina smiled at Reuben as he passed by her and into the house. She was glad the boy didn’t turn away and run off. She made a mental note to find him and check on him later. She might not really know him, but she understood how uncomfortable big gatherings like this were for some people, and sometimes just reaching out a helping hand was enough to make them feel more comfortable. Claudeson immediately busied himself with the new arrivals, and Lavender said she’d catch up, obviously meaning to say out here a bit longer. Regina knew when it was best to make her exit, so she picked up the bag of sweets and headed for the door, but not before turning back to the others gathered once more.

“Well, I’ll see everyone inside then!” She waved cheerily and walked to the door, the noise level rising to an extreme degree once she was through the door.

Mikki hadn’t lied, it was the party to end all parties in here alright. Now just to set her stuff down in the kitchen, find some wine or something else that was light, and mingle with the crowd.

[Regina Petrov Continued in In Vino Veritas]

[Cactus]

Ahhh, of course. The small baggie in his hand felt nondescript and innocuous, even though the contents were illegal and likely dangerous in large quantities. Withholding his judgement to the best of his abilities, he tossed the small pouch back toward Camila, who caught it with ease. As he gave her back her small pouch of marijuana, her companion seemed to impatiently want to move along. His identity continued to elude Claudeson, but like so many people at this party, that didn't mean much of anything. There was a certain populace of the school that Claudeson subtly went out of his way to avoid, and he didn't doubt that the trenchcoat-clad kid in front of him belonged to one of those groups. He knew what people said about trench coats, and those who wore them - what they'd been saying for decades. What they'd said since a horrible day just prior to the turn of the century. He wondered what the kid was so antsy for, what he was hiding underneath the coat. Was he here to exact some sort of vengeance upon his classmates? Was this the final act of some dark plan? Claudeson pondered frisking him. This kid could have been some sort of sinister agent of chaos, here to dispatch his classmates in some sad little revenge plot. What a pathetic excuse for a human being. He should just go home and off himself, instead of taking it out on the partygoers.

No one would miss him.

The world would be better off.

Blinking the thoughts away, Claudeson summoned a kind smile, once again waving them through. Regina picked that moment to head into the party, and called out a farewell to the ever-dwindling crowd out front. Bidding her farewell with a wave of his hand, he turned back to the couple in front of him. He looked only at Camila, leaving her companion in the periphery of his vision, still wearing the smile.

"I would imagine there is much fun to be had inside. There should be refreshments in the kitchen, and many have brought snacks, baked goods, and things like that. I believe there should also be pizza inside as well. I do hope you two enjoy yourselves."

The front door area seemed to be clearing out. Aside from Camila and her date, the only ones left around were Lavender and him. The party was well underway at this point, and he couldn't imagine that many friends or classmates were due to show up who weren't already there. If that were indeed the case, his responsibilities were soon approaching their end. Glancing to Lavender beside him, he looked out into the well-lit driveway.

"Certainly seems like quite the event, doesn't it?"

[Jilly]

((Desiree Beck continued from Lights, Camera, Laughter!))

Desiree paced up and down the short stretch of road near Forrest's house for the 25-ishth time. This was getting annoying, people leaving one moment just to have someone else sneak up and loiter around the entryway. She checked her phone again; it had already been 20 minutes since she sneaked out of her house on her mission.

Her fist especially clenched seeing Cecil was now there, too. But she had to do it. She rehearsed what to say, who to say it to. If they didn't want to hear it, they could go fuck themselves; she didn't have to do this favor.

She gulped down a ball of slimy saliva and began her power walk around the corner and up the driveway to the front door where Claude, Cecil, one of the cheerleaders, and some rando Hispanic girl were clogging up the entryway. Desiree's arms were folded and clenched tight as she glared at Cecil before turning to Claude. "Hey, who's in charge here?" she rushed out at a higher volume than intended.

The discordant wubs from the shit that could be classified as sounds at best pulsated through her sinuses and worsened her headache.

[Grand Moff Hissa]

Camilla retrieved her drugs. Good for her. She and Cecil stood on the brink, seemingly each ready to follow the other inside but not to take the first step. It was an interesting dynamic, one that made Lavender wonder briefly though only casually what was going on between them. Were they a couple? It wouldn't be the most improbable pairing their class had produced, that was sure.

Claudeson gave them a spiel about the earthly delights to be found inside, but before they could take that into account and either move in or—well, maybe it was inevitable that they'd go in; Lavender didn't think they'd just turn around and leave again right away, not after the whole thing with the weed—their little circle was joined by Desiree Beck, demanding to know who was in charge.

"That would be him," Lavender said, jerking her thumb towards Claudeson. "Or Miki and Forrest, if you want the hosts."

She didn't feel bad pointing the girl in the right direction. She didn't know Desiree particularly well, but couldn't imagine the girl causing any real trouble. She was, actually, another classmate who Lavender was surprised to see here at all.

[Cicada]

Camila hid her contraband in the pocket of her jeans without further ceremony. She glanced backwards as briefly as she'd allow herself.

"Hey, who's in charge here?"

"That would be him,"

"He wishes." Camila's serene interjection was punctuated by a smile and a lazy swat on the side of Claude's arm as she breezed by. She severed her grip on Cecil. There was no need to answer any of her friend's lingering questions. She carelessly trusted that he'd figure the rest out.

((Camila Cañizares continued in Getting Down With The Clown))

[LeslieFranc]

The frozen smile was still in place until Cecil sensed footsteps coming up from behind and to the front door. Only glancing briefly at a new arrival approaching, Cecil immediately responded in kind at Desiree’s non-verbal hostility directed towards him with a suspicious glare of his own once he realized who it was. He almost forgot who it was, he’d admit, but then he remembers once recklessly making cheating accusations which were true without solid proof and ended up wasting someone’s time. Just like that, all the mutual disdain came back to him.

Cecil wouldn’t say he’s surprised, just annoyed that his night which had already started off at an irritating start just continues being even more so.

He wants an out of this situation now, and his only way is to get in.

Without even beckoning or taking him with her, Camila just finally separated himself from him as what he’d assume is her answer to his question. Cecil sighed at her typical way of coming in and going out as she pleases without any warning, but it felt like Camila has seamlessly disappeared in the crowd inside, and he doubts he would be able to find her without effort.

Ugh, fine dammit. Time to get in there and see where it takes me.

“I’ll be going in then,” he tried to smile brightly enough, quickly making his way inside.

Think positive. Maybe I'll see some people I actually know and like. Like Charelle. Or Declyn. Declyn had tried getting me to go to these parties. He's probably here.

((Cecil Salazar-Loveless continued in liberosis))

[Cactus]

Allowing himself a smile as Camilla passed him by with a small swat to the arm, Claudeson nodded to the two party goers as they made their way into the house, and then turned his attention to the newcomer. Lavender had thrust authority upon him, and as the doorman for this particular event, he supposed that did entitle him to a degree of agency for the party. It wasn't a thought that made him feel all that comfortable, though he embraced the role as best he could under the circumstances.

The person standing in front of the desk wasn't someone that was instantly familiar to him, and he wracked his brain as he tried to place her. She was undoubtedly a fellow student, he could recall seeing her in the hallways at times, but otherwise she was fairly unremarkable - she had to be had she not left an impression upon him. Claudeson was fairly good with names, so this was unusual. It was... D-something? Something like that. Denise? De-nice? No, that was that Key and Peele sketch. Delilah? His mind kept on working as he addressed her.

"That is correct, I suppose I am holding down the fort, so to speak." He smiled a welcoming smile at the new girl, who didn't seem all that happy to be there. "What can I do for you," midway through his sentence, it clicked into mind, "Desiree?"

Of course. She was still relatively unremarkable, but the name broadened his smile. Remembering someone's name meant something, it added a personal touch. He tried to make a habit of remembering names, and he was proud of himself for maintaining that. Glancing over at Lavender, he smiled. It was a bit surprising to him that she'd stuck around instead of going into the party, but he supposed if anything, she would be a willing ally in the welcoming committee.