The Bash

[Crystal Deboir]

Crystal ran the brush through her blonde hair one last time. She let the black eyeliner pencil roll off of her fingertip and clatter into her massive pink, glittery Caboodle, and blinked a few times. She studied her reflection pensively. Hair up or down? Down worked better. Less mascara or more? More, always more.

She glanced at her cellular phone again. Bianca said she might not come, so she didn't really expect a call from her, but she was hoping the girl would join her. She dreaded spending the night chasing drunk Jessica around this house party.

Adrian's words floated through her head as she pattered down the stairs. The house was dark. Both of her parents were out of town, and she was alone. She was still early, though. The sun was just freshly set and the sky still had traces of pink, but inside with no light, the house seemed to loom around her.

"Be out of there before midnight..."

She shook it off. She hadn't spoken to him in nearly a week. She hadn't spoken to anyone. She'd taken a lot of down time to think about some things that had been bothering her. They were about herself, mostly, but a lot of it had to do with other people, too.

She let out PenPen, wondering why she'd ever named him after the penguin from NG:E in the first place. She was so stupid. As she waited by the door for him to pee on the neighbors mailbox, she glanced at the key rack on the counter. If dad was out of town... she could drive his car. He would never know. She walked to the keys, leaving the front door open for the dog. The Cobra or the Z06? Red or yellow? Well, she was wearing black and red, so.. she guessed she could take the Cobra. At least it'd... match?

She shut the door after the dog had gotten inside, and walked 'round to the garage to get the car, fingers still tapping her phone.

Ring. Ring, damnit. Ring.

She started the Cobra and backed it out of the driveway, pulling the E-brake and letting it warm up while she dialed Jessica's number.

"You ready?" she asked. From the way the girl talked, it sounded like it might be a bit of a drive. It was fine, she was game. Jessica confirmed, and said she'd be down in a second. Living right next door was sort of convenient like that. By the time the girl found her other shoe, the car would be well warm enough to boost on the cool night.

Still, as the girl hopped in and began talking, Crystal couldn't help but feel something dark inside her chest. Like she was walking into a room with one thousand razorblades, and she was blind.

[Bianca Moreaux]

She didn't really know why she didn't tell Kain the truth. Maybe it was because she was sure he'd begrudge her a night of fun. Maybe it was because her parents had never let her go out. Ever. She didn't want to risk that happening again. So instead she'd made an excuse about going for a walk, and dressed in a snazzy pair of black trousers and a green t-shirt -- the most 'sexy' clothes she owned -- under her jacket, she made her way out of the house and down the street to the nearest payphone*.

Fumbling up the note from her pocket where she'd written down Crystal's cell number, she put the coin in and dialled it with trembling fingers. Was she really doing this? Was she really breaking all rules this way?

"Crystal?" she said breathlessly to when she heard the sound of someone picking up. Then the payphone kicked in**, and she had to repeat it. "Crystal? I made it. Could you pick me up on the road maybe ten minutes by car north of Ramsa?"

She didn't know how to direct Crystal to pick her up inside this sorta secluded little town, so it'd be easier if she just trekked out to the road instead. Besides, hadn't Kain asked her not to tell anyone how to get there? She couldn't remember exactly what he'd said, but she did remember it had made sense, so she could humour him***.

~~*~~
*) Am assuming there is at least one in Mayhem. If there isn't, I'll have to edit it somehow.

**) Dunno how it is with American payphones, but at least with Swedish ones, there's this sorta pause after the other person picks up before they can actually hear you. Maybe two or three seconds or something. Very annoying, especially if you're calling someone who isn't aware of that and is impatient enough to hang up when they don't hear anyone at first *rolls eyes*

***) *cough* mindcontrol anyone?

[Crystal Deboir]

Jessica actually answered Crystal's cell phone, and just said, "Oh, hold on a sec! She's driving! Real quick!" Crystal slowed down to catch the red light and pulled the phone from Jessica, trying to get the antenna untangled from the girl's long blonde hair.

"Lo? Bianca? Hey! It sounds like you're calling me from under water, are you on a pay phone?" Crystal started off in second and rolled up the window - hard to hear over Bassani exhaust. "Sure, I'll be there! Just stay close to the road. I'll.. well. You'll hear me coming."

She looked over at Jessica. "You're going to like Bianca, she's totally cool. She's so mellow it just makes me want to like lay down and listen to classical music or something."

Jessica made a face. "Whaaaat? Okay, whatever. If you say she's cool, then she's cool. Where is she at?"

"Heh, you know that one payphone off of 87? The one that sounds like you're on a clock radio? Dude I have called my parents so many times from that phone when I'd walk home from Becca's after practice and decide I didn't want to walk after all. By the gas station. With the sour candy things."

The other blonde's eyes lit up. "OH, that one! Okay, yeah. Shit, this means I have to ride in the back." She swung back into the leather seat and put on a pout.

When Crystal said 'You'll hear me coming' she meant it. The Cobra was -loud-. She hadn't convinced her father to switch to a Kenne Bell yet, but the stock Eaton was at max potential and it literally -screamed- when she hit WOT. Even after backing off of the throttle, she was sure that Bianca could have heard her from INSIDE the back of the small gas station.

She pulled alongside the sidewalk and Jessica got out, and introducted herself while pushing back the seat. "Hey, come on in! Just don't put the seat back too far, or you'll squish me!"

((Our phones do that here sometimes. Depends on which one you use. Takes a second to connect.))

[Bianca Moreaux]

Bianca did indeed hear Crystal coming, and waved slightly as the car slowed down and stopped. Well, paused at least.

"Hello," she said almost shyly to the girl who got out. "I'm Bianca," she introduced herself, even if she realized the other probably already knew that. Jessica. She'd have to remember that name. "You sure it's okay for you to sit in the back?" she asked. Surely Jessica was better friends with Crystal. "I won't mind, really."

[Crystal Deboir]

Jessica shook her head. "If you want to sit in the back, be my guest. I'm too tall for it to work without laying across the seats."

Once they had figured out whatever seating arrangement they were going to use, Crystal started out towards the address on the card. "I tried to look it up on GPS but it didn't come up with anything. Do you know where it is?" she asked Jessica, putting the car into 6th gear finally.

"Yeah. It's a pretty decent distance out. Like.. you know where that creepy old farmhouse is on the other side of the woods? There's a neighborhood past there - that's where it is." Even Jessica thought it sounded weird, but the guy had told her that's where it was and she'd been there before, or, she thought she had, anyways. It was hard to explain, so she skipped it.


Crystal nodded, and turned her music up. The CD player had DJ Irene in it, and she used the noise as an excuse not to talk while she whipped out her phone and started to send a text message.

JUST PASSED MILE MARKER 15 HEADED NORTH TOWARDS THE WOODS. HOUSE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE FRIEND SAYS. WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.

She closed her phone, hoping Adrian was able to receive them, at least.

[Adrian Infusco]

Back in Ramsa, Adrian's phone made a very quiet sound -- too low for normal ears to pick up amidst the traffic noise, but Adrian's ears weren't exactly normal. Taking it out, he opened the message and read it.

Two minutes later, he'd sent a short reply stating Will be around, had started his car, and was on the north-bound road from the town.

He parked the car in the woods, and left it there, shifting into wolf form and making it towards the location of the bash. It wasn't difficult to find, now that he was closer; the stench of vampire was strong.

Finding it, he lay down at a convenient distance -- too far away for them to notice him without actively looking, yet close enough to be able to get there in a hurry -- under a bush. And there he waited. He wasn't stupid enough to engage in combat with several vampires at once, not around innocent humans, and so he wouldn't do anything unless there was trouble.

~~*~~
I hurried Adrian's post along a bit cos he's not gonna do anything for quite a while.

[Bianca Moreaux]

Climbing in the back, Bianca sat back and strapped herself in even as Jessica got into the passenger seat up front. To be honest she felt a little out of place. She'd agreed to come with Crystal and had thought it would be a good thing, but would Crystal spend any time with her, or would her attention be caught by Jessica all the time? Maybe she'd made a mistake by coming. If she got out now, she still had a chance to get back before Kain missed her.

But then Crystal started the car again and they were off, and it was too late. For a moment or two, Bianca debated asking Crystal to stop, but the music put an end to that.

Never mind, she told herself. She'd just have to cheer up and get ready to have some fun. She'd be fine. It was just a nice, private party, right? It would be a good place to go for your first night out.

To distract herself, she started tapping the beat of the music against her knee, her mind going through possible dance movements to it.

~~*~~
^^;; sorry, no dialogue.

[Crystal Deboir]

Crystal parked a house down from where all the cars were lined up. She got out alongside Jessica and held the seat back for Bianca to crawl out. The Cobra was definitely another one of those 'back seats for insurance purposes only' cars. Her family had a knack for them.

"I'll be damned, this place is packed," she said, eyes wide. There wasn't anyone outside and there was no noise. It was still early, but holy Christ. She started walking towards the house and began to feel the base along the sidewalk. "Everyone must be inside," she drawled, taking out her cell phone. She shot Adrian a quick physical address and then put it in her little belt clip.

"I guess you can go first, Jessica, since you invited us on your behalf." She looked at her, waiting for Bianca to catch up. Jessica shrugged and pulled the invite out of her back pocket. She walked to the door and rapped on it, jumping back when someone answered.

An attractive blonde boy smiled as he saw the three girls. "Here for the party?" he asked. Jessica beamed and handed over the invite.

"Brought some friends. Hope you don't mind," she giggled.

"Of course not," he said. "Come on in, ladies. Drinks, music, pool table, actual pool in the back. Help yourselves."

Inside, the house was big. Outside it had been deceptively small but Crystal was pretty surprised to find long walls and high ceilings. Stairs, living room, den, kitchen.. she explored the place as quickly as possible, trying to make note of exits and bathrooms. Jessica had wandered off but she tried to keep close to Bianca.

Was she the only one who felt sort of weird here?

[Bianca Moreaux]

Climbing out from the car in silence, Bianca followed the other two girls to the house.

(A small, private party?) she thought in half-panic at the many cars. Maybe she'd been mistaken. Maybe...

She smiled a little at Crystal and walked a little faster, catching up to her and Jessica, reaching the door just as it was opened.

The boy opening the door was cute, and sort of reminded her of a younger Kain. The temptation to 'cheat' on Kain passed before her inner vision, but then she discarded it. Kain would most likely not really care anyway. Sure, he'd said he was fond of her, but that didn't mean he'd be jealous.

(Oh my god, they have a pool?) she thought as she went inside, and then kept on being amazed by how huge the house really was. Bianca wasn't sure she really liked it though. There were so many people around, and she knew she must seem like a kid next to all these grownups and halfway so. Even Jessica seemed not to mind, and moved among them as though she belonged here.
Bianca didn't. How could she?

[Crystal Deboir]

Crystal ran a finger along the neck of her top and sighed. She wasn't sure what to do. She glanced over at Bianca as Jessica had already began seeing people she knew.

"Let's get some soda or something?" she suggested. She stepped back so another attractive boy could cut between them, to which he offered a grunt of apology and moved on. She was beginning to notice that most of the guys here were actually very good looking. What the hell? She didn't recognize any of them from Ramsa High. Maybe Jessica had been holding out? A vision of Adrian flittered across her mind, but it wasn't like they were even dating. Or even talking. Or anything.

Crystal sighed to herself and awaited Bianca's decision. The girl looked like she was uncomfortable here. Crystal wanted to tell her everything was all good, but then again, Adrian had her so paranoid that she just wouldn't flat out lie to her like that.

[Dominic Blanc]

Dominic had pretty much invited himself to the bash -- although he had been nice enough to ask once he got there if it was alright. After being told the rules and to behave -- yes, yes, no feeding until midnight, don't start any fights. Gah, what's wrong with you guys? -- he'd decided to mingle with the people there.

Okay, so he looked a little young, but according to his student identity he was sixteen, so that was the story he was sticking to here. And of course a general touch of 'trust me' in his aura didn't do any harm.

"Hey," he told a girl who'd just arrived. "You're Jessica, right? I've seen you around school."
Of course, he hadn't really seen her enough to even recognize her, but that was nothing a little mindscanning couldn't fix. One little peek, and he knew her name, favourite subject and address -- should he ever need it.
"I'm Dominic."

[Bianca Moreaux]

Bianca looked away from all the strangely good-looking guys -- and girls, she had to admit. There were some really gorgeous women in there, making her feel less than adequate -- and smiled at Crystal.

"Yeah, soda sounds good. I don't... I'm sorry if I don't know what to do or anything."
She bit her lip nervously. She had told Crystal it was her first time out, hadn't she? Right now, she couldn't remember.

[Crystal Deboir]

Jessica half turned to the guy who was speaking to her. She herself was 5'7, so that put 5 inches, plus those crazy heels she wore, putting her at a total of almost 5'10. She idly thought about sitting down to accomidate him more.. wait, what the hell? She took a drink of her Smirnoff Twisted Apple. No, it wasn't that strong.

"Yeah, I'm Jessica. I don't think I've seen you around, though. Dominic, you say? Oh wait, aren't you new?" He sort of felt familiar, but she couldn't place it. "How'd you come across an invite to this place?" Jessica asked, steadily realizing that all of the people here were like the 10% of the schools in the areas. It looked like a friggin' voting pool for Prom King and Queen. Some of the people she didn't recognize, though, but she just assumed they were from other districts.

Meanwhile..

Crystal went with Bianca into the kitchen, narrowly avoiding a beer spill. She shrank back against the wall. "Ew? Oh my god, live in a barn much?" she asked. The boy turned around - it ended up being the same person she'd been giving shit to the day she'd met Bianca. He said something nasty and walked off.

"Yeah? Drop dead," she snapped in return. She picked up a 2 litre of Dr. Pepper and poured herself a glass in one of those typical red plastic party cups. "Okay Bianca, there's Sprite, Pepsi, Coke, Dr. Pepper, and.. ooh, Root Beer." Immediatly she regretted going for the DP first.

In the middle of a party full of a ton of sexy people, and what is she doing? Marveling over root beer. In all fairness, almost nobody carried it or drank it around her, so she didn't see it much.

[Dominic Blanc]

Dominic smiled at the much taller girl, not really minding the height difference.
"Yeah, I guess I'm fairly new. Me and my dad moved here this summer."
Dad, right. The guy posing as his father happened to be a bloodbond of his, but who would ever know that?
"My dad knows that guy over there-"
He gestured to one of the good-looking ones across the room.
"-so I kind of decided it'd be fun to go."
He looked up at her.
"What about you?"

[Bianca Moreaux]

Bianca's nose turned up a little at the smell of beer. Of course, it was nothing new, but she'd never come to like the smell of it. Then again, usually when she smelled it, it was mixed with other bad stuff too, so maybe it was just how she associated it.

Glancing after the boy -- he went to school with them, didn't he? Of course he did, silly Bianca, where else would he go? -- she then hurried after Crystal, looking the different kinds over and trying to decide.

"Sprite, I think," she said after a few moments, picking the bottle up and pouring it into a clean cup. She'd heard stories at her old school about people putting stuff in drinks to get at them, and while she hoped this was a nice party, Sprite would allow her to see if anything was put in there. She hoped.
"So what do you do at parties, really?" she asked quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear and laugh at her for asking such a stupid question.