Cause God knows I've
made all my own choices
And if I drown alone
it's cause I choose
To spend my time
drinking in the stairwells
--------------------------------
The sunlight draped over the room, surrounding the dress in a warm glow that displayed all the best qualities, the gems sparkling with each movement. Venus finished tying the tie on her school uniform, the dress she had chosen for prom hanging on her closet door, ready for the weekend that was just ahead.
Footsteps echoed up the stairs, heels clicking against the wooden floor of her hallway, making their way to her bedroom. Venus grabbed her bag from where it sat on her bed, slinging it over her shoulder as the girl entered the room.
Liza looked over at the dress with amazement, a smile forming across her features. Venus laughed, smug with her choice. She's picked out the basics of the dress, and made the rest herself. None of her other friends had seen it since she had finished a couple days ago.
"Wow, Vee. This looks..." Liza tore her eyes away from the dress, back over to the redhead. Venus moved from where she was standing and over to her friend, leaning on the wall while Liza searched for the word. "It's perfect. Seriously."
Venus shrugged with feign arrogance, smiling and walking past Liza. "I know." Venus didn't have to look to know her friend was following her. She descended the stairs, making her way to the kitchen to grab something for to eat for breakfast.
Venus's mother was standing in front of the counter, typing on the keys of her laptop quickly, taking a moment to notice her daughter's presence. She turned around when Venus opened the fridge, smiling at the girls. "Hello, Venus. Hello, Elisabeth."
Liza waved and smiled at Ms. Wright, pulling a bottle of tea out of the fridge and opening it. Liza took a drink out of the bottle, leaning against the counter. The lady continued on, "So, have the four of you cemented your plans for Saturday?"
Venus nodded, taking a bite of the apple she grabbed. "The six of us, actually. I'm taking Clara, and Thomas is... wait, has Thomas asked yet?" Liza shook her head, a chuckle escaping Venus's lips. "Of course he hasn't. Well, hopefully six. I couldn't imagine them saying no to Tommy, though."
Liza pushed herself off the counter when Venus shut the fridge, thanking Ms. Wright for the tea and following Venus as she led her out of the house. "Speaking of, though. Have you told Clara yet? How you feel?"
Venus opened the passenger side door to Liza's car and climbed in, leaning back and taking another bite out of her apple. "No, not yet. I'll get there, though."
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The alcohol slid down his throat with too much ease, especially this early in the morning. Nico shook the empty bottle and sighed, throwing it in the trash can and walking into the school. He'd been getting rides from Jonas every morning on account of being too intoxicated, all the time. Clara brushed past him, heading to her first class that she was complaining about being late for.
A figure caught his eye, walking through the hallways. Her black hair tied back, and his heart sunk for a moment until he was distracted by a hand on his shoulder, Jonas smiling at him and pushing him further into the building.
"Get over her, man. Prom's in a couple days, Graduation's next week, and then we have all summer to distract ourselves until college, where we never have to see her again." Jonas let go of Nico with a smile, Nico cracking a grin himself. "I've got to get to class, but I'll see you later."
Jonas turned away from him, walking through the hallways and towards his class. Nico sauntered through the hall, stopping in front of his art class and gripping the handle, pushing it open slowly.
The teacher glared at him with a look of disapproval, but didn't say anything. Nico avoided their gaze and sat down next to Alicia, pulling out the piece they'd been working on. "Hey, Nico." Alicia smiled at him, her pencil gliding across the page. Nico began to sketch on his paper, the drunken ideas pouring out of him and onto the page.
"Hey, Alicia. You going to prom?" Nico asked, the only question that anyone seemed to be asking anymore. High schoolers were so predictable, it was ridiculous. Alicia nodded, setting her pencil down and looking over at him.
"Yeah, I am. Are you?" Nico nodded. He'd tried to get out of it, but they'd already made the arrangements, and Liza caused hell when he said he decided not to. What's the worst that could happen, Nico? So, he had to go with his friends, even if he didn't want to. "That's good. Who are you going with? Eden?"
Nico's chest sunk with the name, taking a minute to process an answer. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Uh, no, actually. We aren't... together, anymore." Alicia's face looked sympathetic from the corner of his eyes, and he avoided looking the best he could.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Alicia paused for a beat before continuing, picking up her pencil and shading. "Maybe I'll see you there."
Nico smirked at her. "Yeah, maybe."
------------------------------------
Thomas waited by the door to the classroom for the bell to ring, the clock above him ticking down the seconds. He played with the strap on his bag, trying to quell the butterflies in his stomach. The bell sounded through the halls, students pouring in through the doors, Thomas waiting for the one he needed.
Thomas reached for the arm of the student who walked out the door, pulling them to him. "Hey, Jonas. Can we talk." The look in Jonas's eyes showed that he'd been waiting for this moment, that he knew it was going to happen. He nodded, stepping closer to Thomas. "I was, uh, wondering, if you didn't have plans... Did you want to go to prom with me? And my friends, but, like, as my date?"
Footsteps echoed up the stairs, heels clicking against the wooden floor of her hallway, making their way to her bedroom. Venus grabbed her bag from where it sat on her bed, slinging it over her shoulder as the girl entered the room.
Liza looked over at the dress with amazement, a smile forming across her features. Venus laughed, smug with her choice. She's picked out the basics of the dress, and made the rest herself. None of her other friends had seen it since she had finished a couple days ago.
"Wow, Vee. This looks..." Liza tore her eyes away from the dress, back over to the redhead. Venus moved from where she was standing and over to her friend, leaning on the wall while Liza searched for the word. "It's perfect. Seriously."
Venus's mother was standing in front of the counter, typing on the keys of her laptop quickly, taking a moment to notice her daughter's presence. She turned around when Venus opened the fridge, smiling at the girls. "Hello, Venus. Hello, Elisabeth."
Liza waved and smiled at Ms. Wright, pulling a bottle of tea out of the fridge and opening it. Liza took a drink out of the bottle, leaning against the counter. The lady continued on, "So, have the four of you cemented your plans for Saturday?"
Venus nodded, taking a bite of the apple she grabbed. "The six of us, actually. I'm taking Clara, and Thomas is... wait, has Thomas asked yet?" Liza shook her head, a chuckle escaping Venus's lips. "Of course he hasn't. Well, hopefully six. I couldn't imagine them saying no to Tommy, though."
Liza pushed herself off the counter when Venus shut the fridge, thanking Ms. Wright for the tea and following Venus as she led her out of the house. "Speaking of, though. Have you told Clara yet? How you feel?"
Venus opened the passenger side door to Liza's car and climbed in, leaning back and taking another bite out of her apple. "No, not yet. I'll get there, though."
----------------------------------------------
The alcohol slid down his throat with too much ease, especially this early in the morning. Nico shook the empty bottle and sighed, throwing it in the trash can and walking into the school. He'd been getting rides from Jonas every morning on account of being too intoxicated, all the time. Clara brushed past him, heading to her first class that she was complaining about being late for.
A figure caught his eye, walking through the hallways. Her black hair tied back, and his heart sunk for a moment until he was distracted by a hand on his shoulder, Jonas smiling at him and pushing him further into the building.
"Get over her, man. Prom's in a couple days, Graduation's next week, and then we have all summer to distract ourselves until college, where we never have to see her again." Jonas let go of Nico with a smile, Nico cracking a grin himself. "I've got to get to class, but I'll see you later."
Jonas turned away from him, walking through the hallways and towards his class. Nico sauntered through the hall, stopping in front of his art class and gripping the handle, pushing it open slowly.
The teacher glared at him with a look of disapproval, but didn't say anything. Nico avoided their gaze and sat down next to Alicia, pulling out the piece they'd been working on. "Hey, Nico." Alicia smiled at him, her pencil gliding across the page. Nico began to sketch on his paper, the drunken ideas pouring out of him and onto the page.
"Hey, Alicia. You going to prom?" Nico asked, the only question that anyone seemed to be asking anymore. High schoolers were so predictable, it was ridiculous. Alicia nodded, setting her pencil down and looking over at him.
"Yeah, I am. Are you?" Nico nodded. He'd tried to get out of it, but they'd already made the arrangements, and Liza caused hell when he said he decided not to. What's the worst that could happen, Nico? So, he had to go with his friends, even if he didn't want to. "That's good. Who are you going with? Eden?"
Nico's chest sunk with the name, taking a minute to process an answer. He took a deep breath before speaking. "Uh, no, actually. We aren't... together, anymore." Alicia's face looked sympathetic from the corner of his eyes, and he avoided looking the best he could.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Alicia paused for a beat before continuing, picking up her pencil and shading. "Maybe I'll see you there."
Nico smirked at her. "Yeah, maybe."
------------------------------------
Thomas waited by the door to the classroom for the bell to ring, the clock above him ticking down the seconds. He played with the strap on his bag, trying to quell the butterflies in his stomach. The bell sounded through the halls, students pouring in through the doors, Thomas waiting for the one he needed.
Thomas reached for the arm of the student who walked out the door, pulling them to him. "Hey, Jonas. Can we talk." The look in Jonas's eyes showed that he'd been waiting for this moment, that he knew it was going to happen. He nodded, stepping closer to Thomas. "I was, uh, wondering, if you didn't have plans... Did you want to go to prom with me? And my friends, but, like, as my date?"
Jonas chuckled, stepping forward a pace and playing with the button on Thomas's vest. He was enjoying watching the boy fluster under his grip, struggling to formulate words. "That depends, Tommy. Can we finish what we started the other week?"
Thomas leaned forward so that they were close, so that he could whisper what he was going to say next.
"Maybe if you play your cards right."
Jonas laughed softly, taking a step back with a smirk. "Alright, then. You've got yourself a deal." Thomas smiled at his answer, fixing the bag strap on his shoulder when the warning bell rang. "Now, get to class. Our valedictorian can't be late, can he?"
Thomas walked past Jonas with a chuckle, striding through the halls until he found the class he needed to get to and sliding into the seat next to Venus. "He said yes." Thomas smiled at her, pulling out his notebook and scrawling down the notes that were on the board.
Venus smiled at the news, nudging him in the side. "I knew he would. Don't doubt me." Thomas rolled his eyes at her remark, marking out an incorrect sentence he had written down. "So, I assume you'll be taking your truck and meet us at the restaurant?"
Thomas nodded, scrawling down the last couple sentences and turning to her. "We're graduating soon, and that's insane."
Venus smiled at him, pushing a couple of strands of hair behind her ear. "It's the start of the rest of our lives."
-------------------------------------
Thomas leaned forward so that they were close, so that he could whisper what he was going to say next.
"Maybe if you play your cards right."
Jonas laughed softly, taking a step back with a smirk. "Alright, then. You've got yourself a deal." Thomas smiled at his answer, fixing the bag strap on his shoulder when the warning bell rang. "Now, get to class. Our valedictorian can't be late, can he?"
Thomas walked past Jonas with a chuckle, striding through the halls until he found the class he needed to get to and sliding into the seat next to Venus. "He said yes." Thomas smiled at her, pulling out his notebook and scrawling down the notes that were on the board.
Venus smiled at the news, nudging him in the side. "I knew he would. Don't doubt me." Thomas rolled his eyes at her remark, marking out an incorrect sentence he had written down. "So, I assume you'll be taking your truck and meet us at the restaurant?"
Thomas nodded, scrawling down the last couple sentences and turning to her. "We're graduating soon, and that's insane."
Venus smiled at him, pushing a couple of strands of hair behind her ear. "It's the start of the rest of our lives."
-------------------------------------
Clara fixed the strap on her dress, looking at herself in the mirror and smiling. She spun once, watching as the dress twirled with her, a laugh escaping her lips. Steps echoed through the hall, Nico knocking on her already open door when he reached her room.
"Hey, Clara. Can we talk?"
Clara smiled at him, taking in her brother's suit. It was well fitted and really nice, but even it didn't make him look any less like hell. He's been on a downward spiral, and even if he's been trying to hide it from Clara, it wasn't working. She could see how much he was breaking.
"Hey, Clara. Can we talk?"
Clara smiled at him, taking in her brother's suit. It was well fitted and really nice, but even it didn't make him look any less like hell. He's been on a downward spiral, and even if he's been trying to hide it from Clara, it wasn't working. She could see how much he was breaking.
"Of course, Nico. What's up?" Clara sat on the edge of her bed, gesturing for her brother to sit with her. He stepped through the room, dropping on the bed roughly. Clara could see how drained he was, his emotions were tearing him apart and he didn't know how to deal with it.
"You know how she feels about you, right? Venus?" Nico said, more blunt than he meant to. He didn't do it to hurt anyone, he just wanted to protect Clara, and Venus, from getting hurt tonight due to some communications. "She likes you, a lot."
Clara laughed softly, leaning back on the bed. "Yeah, I know. You don't have to worry about it, Nico." Clara knew about Venus's crush for a while, and she had thought a lot about it. Venus was nice, and Clara liked her. She wasn't necessarily gay, but she didn't have to figure it all out right now. She was young. She had time. "Whatever happens tonight, happens."
Clara pushed herself off the bed, standing over Nico and smiling. Nico barely had time to stand up before his phone chimed, a text from Liza telling him they were there to pick him up. Nico motioned for the door, stepping out of the room, Clara following him.
They stepped down the stairs, a comfortable silence falling over them. Nico slowed when they got close to the door, stopping right in front of it and turning to Clara.
"You look beautiful, by the way. We're gonna have fun tonight. I promise."
"You know how she feels about you, right? Venus?" Nico said, more blunt than he meant to. He didn't do it to hurt anyone, he just wanted to protect Clara, and Venus, from getting hurt tonight due to some communications. "She likes you, a lot."
Clara laughed softly, leaning back on the bed. "Yeah, I know. You don't have to worry about it, Nico." Clara knew about Venus's crush for a while, and she had thought a lot about it. Venus was nice, and Clara liked her. She wasn't necessarily gay, but she didn't have to figure it all out right now. She was young. She had time. "Whatever happens tonight, happens."
Clara pushed herself off the bed, standing over Nico and smiling. Nico barely had time to stand up before his phone chimed, a text from Liza telling him they were there to pick him up. Nico motioned for the door, stepping out of the room, Clara following him.
They stepped down the stairs, a comfortable silence falling over them. Nico slowed when they got close to the door, stopping right in front of it and turning to Clara.
"You look beautiful, by the way. We're gonna have fun tonight. I promise."
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