Survival Of The Fittest

((Alright, this hasn't been done yet, so I'll sort of explain it before I start my roleplay. Here's the basic theme of this memory. Senior year has just started (we're maybe a week or two into it) and to celebrate their final year of high school, the senior class has a bonfire down on the beach. Everyone is welcome to participate with one, some, or all of their characters, and I encourage you to join in. Whatever happens in the memory is up to you all as individual handlers, but keep in mind that this is not AU so it'll be included in your character's past. Enjoy!))

"Phew."

Andrea Vanlandingham let out a tired sigh. This was such a great idea that the Senior class president couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it sooner. It was their last year in high school, after all. Their class had been through a lot, for sure. The good times, the bad times, the drama, the fun, the random parties and waking up in the front lawn of people you don't know... it had been a wild ride, that much was for sure. Now, it was almost over, and even though the year had barely started, Andrea was already starting to feel nostalgic. It was crazy to think that this was it. This was the beginning of an end. If that was the case, then there was only one thing that Andrea Vanlandingham could possibly hope to do... make sure that it was a damn good ending.

She'd spent the opening days of the school year preparing for this. It had been a timely endeavor, passing out flyers and all the while trying to make sure that news of the bonfire didn't circulate around to the staff of Southridge High School. After all, this definitely wasn't a school-supervised event. She was reminded of that fact all the more as a couple random seniors pulled up in their pickup truck, boasting an ice chest full of beer in the back. They didn't want the party to get busted. That'd be a hell of a way to start off senior year. Still, she didn't really have to worry about that. Her father had promised to pull some strings with the local law enforcement, and most of the police seemed pretty cool anyway. At least they weren't down here causing trouble.

"Hey, T!" she shouted at Tyrese Paramore, who stopped what he was doing to look at her, "You almost finished?"

"Yea," T responded with a light gasp.

He silently cursed himself. He didn't mind helping out in the slightest, but when Andrea had commissioned him to help her set up for the bonfire, he hadn't imagined himself hauling wood around to set up the fire while she stood by and supervised. Still, it was for a good cause. She gave him a great big smile, one of those "Andrea Vanlandingham charmer smiles", as she called it, and he continued on with forming the bonfire. A few of the other pawns -- er, students -- that she had recruited were scattered around doing various things as well. Andrea grinned and readjusted the black tankini top she adorned. The preparations were almost complete. It was starting to get dark, and her guests should be arriving any time now.

"Teeeeeeeeeeee," she called again, "Hurry up with that, would ya?"

"It's almost done!" he panted.

As Evan pulled up to the clearing, he knew full well that the guests already at the party could hear the thumping bass of his car. He smiled, and cranked the bass boost up to max, reverberating his silver Civic and shaking the mirrors. The common thud of the deep bass was his trademark, and the kids from scholl knew it full well. He had, after all, been the first one in his class to get his own car. That came with rich parents. he took a moment to reflect on the popularity it brought him.

"Finally" Gabe said, "thought we were lost for a bit there. Hey Evan man, thanks for the ride. I appreciate it".

"No prob dude, glad to help out a friend" Evan responded. Evan and Gabe stepped out of the car, the thudding of the bass still drowning out the surrounding noise. Evan let the noise sink in to the group at the clearing for a few more seconds before cutting the engine. He had arrived. The two boys reached around to the back seat and pulled out a six pack of beers and a few random tall cans. Evan's was, of course, much more expensive microbrewed stuff imported from God knows where. Gabe had developed a taste for the cheap stuff over the years, and was perfectly fine with his "dollar-a-bottle" swill.

"How's that thing coming kids?" Evan shouted down to the pit where some rather large pieces of wood and debris were being pilled high. "Need a hand down there?".

"We brought a couple bottles of vodka too, if anyone wants some mixes." Gabe shouted right after. "Jus' lemme know".

The two guys headed down to the fire pit. Gabe cracked a brew and started chugging away, wondering if Kara would show. He had tried to call her earlier in the day, but got the machine. Hopefully she'd gotten the message.

Even just pulled up one of the already set up folding chairs and reclined comfortably, cracking the top off one of his beers.

"Hey, T, need some help over there?"

Oddly enough, this voice came from a bit behind Tyrese and to his left, unlike Gabe and Evan who came from the parking lot area. Looking behind him would show Tyrese who the speaker was, though at this point Darnell "The Bull" Butler's voice was pretty much instantly recognizable by most of the school. He was wearing all black as usual, but his wide smile and the sand on the lower part of his pants and his shoes made it easier to see him than he was infamous for being at night. He had actually walked to the bonfire from his house, so he was one of the first to arrive due to how close it was. Being in an overall happy, celebratory mood from having gotten the scholarship he had been after for most of his life, he decided to show up at the bonfire to have some fun. He would have to crack down on studying and training again soon anyway, so he figured he should relax while he had the chance.

Besides, he thought, I was at a fucking football camp training my ass off all damn summer. Gonna burn out at this rate if I don't just chill for a bit.

That was when he had seen Tyrese building the fire pit by himself, and taking some effort to do so. It was natural that he had the inclination to help out. He liked Tyrese, not in a gay way of course, the man was a hero and Darnell found his actions and strength something to be admired. After having asked his question, he found a particularly large piece of wood and hoisted it up with little effort, placing it onto his broad shoulders and walking over to the fire pit.

"But surely you've gotta have some buddies, right?"
"No,"
"A girlfriend?"
"No,"
"A boyfriend?" Bobby looked over at Keiji for a second. The pair of them were running together, on their way to the bonfire mostly organised by Andrea Vanlandingham. Of course, Bobby would have preferred to have been by himself, but the boxer had to admit; up until he had started questioning Bobby about his lack of friends, Keiji had been pretty good company.
"….No,"
"An animal friend?" Keiji inquired. The remark, whilst obviously intended to be funny, was really just rather annoying.
"Oh shut up,"
Keiji wisely stopped talking, Bobby Jacks was a no-go zone. Keiji would fight pretty much anybody, but after the boxer had damn near knocked him out in Junior year, Keiji had steered clear of fighting him altogether.

It wasn't all that long before they arrived at the location intended for the bonfire. Bobby hung back as Keiji happily ran towards the large stack of wood. Keiji was Keiji, he had boundless energy, and was the kind of guy who would sooner die than give up. Sometimes, it was just plain exasperating.
Bobby took a little while to consider why he was even here in the first place. This definitely wasn't his scene, Bobby hated attending large gatherings of people.
In the ring… it wasn't the same. In the ring, there was a boundary between him and the people that they couldn't cross, it was just him and his opponent.
Outside it was chaotic, inside… it was like the eye of a storm.
Bobby drew in a deep breath and followed Keiji, wondering if it was even worthwhile coming today. In truth it was Keiji who had convinced Bobby to come along. Bobby had been out on his run when the other boy had come up from behind.

"You going to the bonfire Bobby?"
"Well… I, uh…" Bobby had no intentions of going to the little party, but he wasn't quite sure how to phrase it.
"C'mon!" Keiji said, tugging on Bobby's arm. "It'll be fun man! Who knows, maybe you'll finally meet somebody you like?"
"Well, uh, you see Keiji, the thing is that…"
"Awww… Don't be like that Bobby! Can't you just come along as a favour. To me?"
Dammit! He was giving him that puppy dog look! Keiji looked so cute when he did that… not that Bobby was attracted to him. No, Bobby wasn't attracted to guys or girls, but he was able to appreciate beauty and… well, cuteness when he saw it.
Bobby knew that if he said no, then Keiji's face would crumple inward, and even though he would pretend it didn't bother him, it would be as obvious as somebody trying to conceal an elephant in a wardrobe.
"Ah… okay then. I'll come along I guess," Keiji's smile was like the sun coming up.
"I knew you weren't all that cold Bobby. Let's go or we'll be late!"
Keiji darted ahead, and Bobby laughed, it was almost impossible not to like Keiji, and he was the closest thing Bobby had to a friend.

Keiji was all smiles and laughter amongst the other students already there. He was simply irrepressible, the only thing that could keep him down was knocking him out cold.
Keiji was so pumped up he was virtually capering, and Bobby followed after him quickly to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't get in trouble.
When Bobby saw Angler and McCallum with beer, he groaned and rolled his eyes. If those guys were going to get drunk, then most likely others would too. Bobby, with no truck for alcohol, would be subjected to many drunken antics, which always annoyed him.
At least he could count on Keiji to stay sober; for much the same reasons as Bobby, Keiji didn't drink either. But when Bobby contemplated a few hours with nobody but Keiji for company he shuddered, that wouldn't be pleasant.
The slightly younger boy stopped in front of the class president and he gave her a huge grin.
"Hi Andrea!" he said with sincerity and innocence.

"Ready?" Kara said turned to her cousin Courtney as they arrived to the bonfire. They had decided to walk, knowing that they were going to be drinking, and didn't want to drink and drive. Coutrney had let out a sigh, as she didn't want to give away that she was scared for her life. Both girls arrived looking stunning with short skirts and cute tube tops to follow. They had been wearing flip flops, but now that they were on the sand, both decided to ditch them. It wasn't long till Kara found her boyfriend Gabe and ushered Courtney to come with her.

"Hey honey!" She said taking a seat next to him kissing him on the cheek. "This is Courtney, my cousin I told you about. Courtney this is everyone."

Kara let out a wave of her hand as if to address everyone who was sitting with them. She looked at Gabe, proud to be the good looking cheerleader with the good looking boyfriend on the foot ball team. Nothing could make this night any better, in her mind, than getting drunk and maybe getting a bit lucky. She assumed that now her cousin was going to go off and walk around and meet new people. Courtney would find a guy to hang off the arm of and Kara wouldn't feel bad ditching her to go off with Gabe. It all sounded perfect in Kara's head except....

"Kara?" Interupted Courtney as she was approaching the couple. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Here." She sighed. "Drink this beer and just GO socialize."

Courtney couldn't help but feel her cousin was giving her the "get lost" look when she passed her the beer. As she walked away, she looked for someone who might be open to talk to her.. maybe someone who would enjoy a beer? God knows she hated the stuff. She slowly approached the group of kids by the bonfire pit.

"Anyone want a beer?"

((Nothing like a little rain on the bonfire, no?))

With an industrial his, a Highland Transit bus pulled open its door to let a single passenger out onto the sidewalk to the beach. Said passenger was a scraggly 18 year old who would stick out like a sore thumb, not necessarily for his rather ordinary choice of clothing but the colors, which consisted of dark blues and greys. The wind would have been waving his hair had it not been cut rather short - somewhere close to a buzz cut but still thick enough to give a semblance of fullness. He also had a pair of cheap headphones on, leading to a PSP that he had wedged into his pocket. No MCR or any emo bands though blaring through this kid's headphones though.

Eduardo leaned on the bus stop sign and sighed wearily as he looked out at the crowd of students gathering on the beach. Senior year was here, and one more year before he could get the hell out of this place and live out the remainder of his life. He gulped and started to approach the crowd, his sneakers leaving distinct imprints on the sand.

They were all having fun, and making friends, and otherwise enjoying the moment. They had every reason to, and they most certainly deserved their fun and their futures. The only "official" reason Eduardo was here in the first place was becuase his parents had continuously insisted it would be good for him, and besides which, there wasn't any homework (yet) to otherwise keep him busy. They called it deserved after getting a high-1500 on the SAT last year, but really, he was just grateful to get out of the house and have something to do.

That, and Boxer had sent him an invite text.

As he got closer to the activity, he noticed that some of the students - including jocks, had already brought the beer. He'd heard that a number of them had already been assured full scholarships to great colleges, mainly for knocking people around at full force. It was definitely a sentiment that Eduardo knew personally*, but one that he'd also come to accept as just the way of the world.

Nothing like getting beaten up by drunk jocks to officially kick off my last year in educational hell.

((*see Fate Is A Hooker. Will introduce Troy - source of the bass - and Boxer later. Still don't know what to do with Tanya and Reneé.))

"Andrea! Hey!" A shrill yet mature voice called out towards the class president. The girl who was waving looked absolutely ecstatic to see her friend. She was dressed in a light brown skirt, barely reaching her knees. Her torso was covered in a mahogany bikini, and she wore her varsity cheerleading jacket as a cover. She had her hair let down, and it gave her beautiful face a rather adult-like look. She smiled brilliantly and made her way down.

Serenity slipped her flip-flops off of her feet and ran across the sand. Suddenly she noticed Kara and Gabe, two good friends of hers. She sprinted over to the two and immediately grabbed a beer out of the icebox. She smiled at the two and gave Kara a hug.

"Hey girl! How are you?" She looked around her at the many people who were arriving. She was glad to see so many people came. She had never had a problem with anyone in her school, so she really didn't care who she hung out with. Everyone was open season. She took a swig of her beer and told her two friends she was going to see how everyone else was doing. She made her way over to where the bonfire was soon to be started.

"Hi everyone! How's it going?"

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Melina sighed as she slowly made her way across the sand. She flicked her hair back and began looking for Heather. She needed SOMEONE to talk to during this idiotic gathering. She had only decided to come because of the chance to show off. She smirked when she saw none other than the loser boy himself. Eddie Villa-Trinidad. She quickly made her way passed him and "accidentally" shoved him out of her way.

"Whoops! So sorry. It's just that you're such a loser I barely notice you." She smirked and put a hand on her hip. She was dressed in a lovely green skirt, barely covering the dark blue bikini bottom that lay beneath. Her breasts were barely covered by a tight navy bikini. Her red hair was in a ponytail, in order to show off her sapphire earrings. She looked down on Eduardo. He was a loser. She was powerful. He was nothing.

"Baby gonna cry?" Her eyes held a playful twinkle. It was so good to be her.

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Lucy O'Donnell was not one to care for much socialization. She was much more interested in figuring out new ways to surpass herself. She never really went to parties, but Andrea had invited her, and Andrea was usually kind to her. So Lucy decided she might as well attend. She sauntered over to where Andrea was and bowed her head.

"Thank you for inviting me." She said politely. She was dressed in a pair of blue jeans, and a blue and grey button-down shirt. Her Blue-rimmed glasses were situated on the brim of her nose. She had her blonde hair in a bun on the top of her head. She looked too neat to be at a bonfire, but then again, she'd never really been to one.

((OOC: I'll introduce everyone else later. Too lazy to do it now.))

Eduardo didn't quite notice himself being shoved out of the way until he actually hit the sand, dislodging his headphones. If one was. As he looked up he saw a girl that he could have sworn was class star Reneé Valenti until she started speaking in a highly boisterous accent that he never heard the rising Hollywood star use.

Still, he didn't cry, nor did his eyes start to well up. Perhaps because he was used to receiving worse from the members of the Southridge Rebels.

"Well, a girl like you barely notices anything above the parts in your mouth," he grunted, before adding something below his breath... "Puta."

Melina snarled at him. How dare he?! Did he not know who he was speaking to?! This little fool was going to pay. Whore huh? What, did he think she didn't know what he said? Just because she was Irish didn't mean she couldn't speak Spanish. She'd taken it since 7th grade. This… FREAK wouldn't call her a whore and get away with it. Even if she did hook some of her "friends" once in a while.

"You fool!" She quickly backhanded Eduardo across the face. "How dare you speak to me that way? You're not worthy of even speaking to the fucking worms. Don't forget who I am, boy. You're nothing compared to me." She pushed him back into the sand with her foot, and laughed.

"You're noting but a freak."

Eduardo let out a cry of pain as Melina dealt him something rather painful to his face before pushing him back into the sand. About the only thing he was thinking right now was sand getting through the mesh in his headphones. Still, he knew Melina's connections...though if he could get himself killed, he'd accept it as long as it wasn't as painful as this.

"At least..." he groaned, "I don't get freaky as often as you like to, Chuchi."

Tyson Neills was immediately delighted upon arriving at the gathering. Not only was Sean O'Cann, his best buddy, with him, but Keiji Tanaka was too. Tyson had been trying to make friends with Keiji for a while now, and the little guy was sensing he was on the verge of a breakthrough. They had so much in common, why couldn't the older boy see that? Tyson sighed, his mind flitting from one though to the next as it so frequently did, trying to keep Tyson on one subject for any length of time was like trying to collect water in a sieve. He just thought way too fast for it to work.
Laughing, Tyson dove into the party as if he had not a care in the world.

Bobby winced when he saw that Frost girl backhand Villa across the face. Bobby usually made a point of not judging people as friends or enemies, but sometimes Melina was just too much not to dislike. Then again, Trinidad-Villa was a bit of a… well, a bit of a something. Bobby decided to hang back and do what he always did; watch.

The slap heard round the world drove Evan from his chair, and he laughed so hard he almost blew beer out his nose. It was hitting him pretty fast. "This is good stuff" he thought, but he knew deep down it was because he was a drinking lightweight. He'd better pace himself or risk getting sick. He watched enthusiastically as people began to arrive, recognizing the many faces of equally cheerful people showing up to drink their faces off with their buddies. He scanned the crowd for potential trim, and after a bit, he decided maybe he'd wait around until some more available hotties showed. He walked over to where Andrea was busy doing her thing...

"Draaaaaay! Wassup? Killer party babe. Only just started and people are dolling out the bitch-slaps...hahaha!" He patted her on the back only breifly and moved on to the next cluster of familiar faces. "Ty, Sean, K-Tan, what-the-fuck-is-up buddays?"

Meanwhile, Gabe was chatting up Kara, in a manner that made it very apparent he was glad she came out. He gave her a big hug. "Babe, I'm glad you made it. I left, like, a hundred messages on your machine". Gabe was always one to exaggerate. "So, how was your day?" he said as he held both her hands in his and stared deeply into her eyes. "Tell me all about it... you want some booze? Me and Evan brought some vodka, and I got OJ to make screwdrivers like you like. Wow! You look hot today, I like what you did with your hair.". He often got chatty when he was drinking, and was suddenly very aware of the fact. He stopped.

Parties was something Kara loved most about high school because everyone knew who she was. Her best friend ran over and gave her a hug before jolting with some beer. She couldn't help but laugh at how happy Serenity got at funtions like this. Every one loved that girl. Gabe gave her a hug and held her hands while he talked to her. He always liked to talk when they were drinking... which didn't bother her much. She could always shut him up by kissing him.

"Thanks," she said to his comment about looking good. She had dressed that way specifically for him to notice and it looked like he did. The idea of a screw driver sounded good to her, but as of the moment she was fine just with her beer. "My day was fine. I'm hoping this party makes it better."

Kissing Gabe quickly on the lips, Kara then got up and walked over to the bonfire where her cousin was standing, still with an unopened beer in her hands.

"Courts!" She called, opening the drink and giving it back to her.

"Come on, let me introduce you to some people!"

Before Courtney really had time to say yay or nay, Kara had already grabbed her by the wrist and began dragging her through the crowd of people, catching up to her best friend.

"Serenity!! Hey! Serenity! This is my cousin Courtney from Paris. Can you introduce her to some good looking men for me?"

Now where was I? She thought, making a b-line for the seat next to her boyfriend. She came up from behind him, covering his eyes playfully saying "guess who".

"Dude where the fuck is Paul?"

"I dunno, I think he graduated last year didn't he?"

"Nah, that cat came into my English Class high as a kite and with a bottle rocket in his pants..."

"Are you saying Paul Smith came to class with a gigantic erection?"

"No, I'm saying that the motherfucker came in there with a bottle rocket in his pants!"

Conversations like that where being held at various checkpoints at the bonfire, perhaps by reputation alone Paul Smith's coming back for a fifth year of high school was one of Southridges most ill kept secrets and Paul Smith was kind of happy that way, although not necessarily that he had failed high school miserably, but that at least his rank in society would make things pretty bearable, perhaps if he wasn't so outgoing this would be a miserable endeavor (not going to make up his credits at a community college as his band mates did), but at least he could chat up high school girls, make friends with Freshman he had exposed himself to at various times in his high school career and of course (as was the point of venturing to this party) get to meet the class president.

There was a small tradition going on at Southridge and that was that every class president had to work closely with Paul Smith. His pranks and various antics required some student involvement and that involvement usually came directly from the Student Council higher-ups (the fact that there are some rumors that say Paul had relations with the rather elderly Mrs. Slocum -the vice principle- had nothing to do with him getting away with these things), regardless the mission tonight was to get close to one Miss Andrea V...whatever the fuck.

Paul smirked as he turned the corner and pulled up to the bonfire, people seemed to stop (without him saying anything) as they noticed the familiar Toyota Camry pull up (some women felt a sharp pain in their backside due to the rather uncomfortable springs that poked more than a few of them in...well their backside), some peoples eyes lit up as he pulled out a garbage can and proceeded to stack firework after firework in there, a lot of people recognized these as the fireworks that the various rec centers set off for the 4th of July.

Some backed away when they realized setting those things off at such a range would be detrimental to their ears, Paul Smith simply smiled as he threw a lit cigarette in the trashcan and watched the sky light up completely for about fifteen seconds, when he could finally see again (noting the purple blotches in his one good eye), he was greeted to the rather obnoxious cheering of his new classmates. He located ordering around several students (one being the "hero" T, Paul Smith didn't believe in heroes, but meh. T was not uncool enough for Paul to hate) and he quietly jogged up to Andrea and put his arm around her shoulder.

"Quite a way to start the year, eh Miss President?"

Troy Mac was feeling lucky today, or maybe it was the rumbles from the hip-hop beats playing out of the cheap speakers in his car with the windows down, and the wind ruffling his generic-gangsta-lite clothing. He was somehow proud he'd managed to find a headphone jack-to-cassette player for his lime-green iPod, and that he'd hid THAT under some black cassettes that contained some fairly average-quality mixtapes.

He'd managed to get his driving license over the summer vacation, though he found it semi-perplexing why his driving instructor actually gave him a perfect score without being threatened. Even better, his parents had gotten him a used car, and it wasn't the best car in the lot (but not the worst by any measure, his parents still did care and Toyota Tercels did tend to run forever), which helped add to the ghetto feeling as he pulled into the parking lot of the beach and switched off the bass. He didn't get out of his car just yet, instead proceeding to look into his rear-views for a little psyching up.

"Okay...you can do this..." he muttered with a voice that lacked a heavy ebonic tone, "Score here and you can make it big time..."