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 Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:19 pm
It was Saturday afternoon when Audrey and Fallon arrived, one bearing a small bag and one bearing one that said, 'I may be staying overnight, but I am planned for a month.' From the outside? The Chamberlyn home looked like a palace. Huge, perfectly landscaped lawn, beautiful driveway lined with trees and statuettes. There were literal towers at Jada's home, literal towers, and a fountain around which the driveway circled before leaving the property. There were balconies, with stairs leading up to each of them, each with a set of french doors. Were they all bedrooms?
They got out of the car together, glad they had decided to carpool. Moral support and all of that. The sheer grandeur of the entire home was almost sickening. Before they could even get to the back of the car, to get bags from the trunk, a gentleman in a black suit was opening the door, moving down the stairs, followed by a younger man in the same outfit. The older of the two was very distinguished, with gray hair and grandfatherly blue eyes. A bit plump around the middle, perhaps. "Miss Fallon, welcome back." he greeted the dark-skinned girl. "And I would hope to be correct in assuming you are Miss Audrey?" The blue-haired girl nodded, blinking up at the house. The old man waved his hand, and a younger man moved to the car, lifting out their bags. "Welcome." Fallon opened her mouth as the younger man took her bags, twisting her hands uncertainly. He was already walking away with them.
From the door, Jada was smiling, leaning on her cane. She hadn't been permitted to walk around without it for days, especially not near the stairs. As the girls made it up, she gave both of them a hug. "Richard wanted to give you both separate bedrooms. I had to explain to him the meaning of a sleepover." she told her friends. Her face was brighter than when they had seen it last. She was filling back out, visibly. Someone had been sneaking her ice cream, or something. (In fact, Cookie had been sneaking her all the treats she wanted.) "So I was thinking I would give you a quick tour of the home!"
Jada didn't do any of the talking, just walking along with them, barely wobbling, listening as the old man told the girls about the home. And what a house. Fifteen bedrooms, a ballroom, eighteen bathrooms, a formal and informal dining room, four sitting rooms, a study or two and an informal den for the family? An indoor and outdoor swimming pool, the outdoor being Olympic-sized! There was a pond surrounded by white tents and filled with lotus flowers (Jada's favorite), along with an outdoor dance floor being set up. The grand ballroom was lined with white flowers and beautiful, elegant decorations. The outdoor swimming pool was closed off, but the pond had a bridge crossing over it, with a gazebo in the middle of the pond. There were almost four acres of gardens, according to the old man, and altogether the home rested on almost a square mile of property.
"It was Mother's home growing up," Jada confided. "We moved in here when her father died." she stretched. "I think I was..." she frowned, as they followed her and Richard back towards the house.
"You were three, Miss Jada." the old man gave her an almost indulgent smile as her heels clicked up the marble staircase. "May I offer your guests any refreshment?"
"Oh!" Jada flushed.
"What do you have?" Audrey wasn't really sure what to ask for. Would it come in crystal goblets?
Jada giggled. "Say you want it, and we probably have it. Just for a guest."
"... Mountain Dew?"
The butler nodded, looking at Fallon. The dark-skinned girl shrugged.
"Bring up some ice water and strawberry juice. We'll have tea around 3:30." Jada took over with Fallon's slight shrug, and the older man bowed, leaving the girls to their business. "We're going to take the elevators." Jada confided, and tugged her friends towards them. The floors were marble. And upstairs, there were carpets that had to be red velvet. A waste. A huge, luxurious waste! Finally they reached a room, and Jada pushed open the door. Cream carpet stretched across the floor, leading up into off-white and gold walls. There was an oriental rug spread at the floor of a bed that was at least king-sized, a dark wood canopy bed, with thick brocade curtains tied back. The posts of the bed were intricate, carved like trees. There was a chaise lounge, french doors leading out to a balcony that overlooked the pond and garden, and two doors on the far side of the room from the french doors and the pale brocade that was tied back to let in the light.
Was this a princess room? It depended on what you considered a princess room. If you were looking for something halfway between 'harem' and 'fairytale' then this was it. The bed had white silk sheets and a velvet comforter. When they kicked off their shoes, on Jada's insistence, their feet sank into thick carpet that almost felt as though it had never been walked on. Opulence? No wonder Jada seemed downright spoiled sometimes. And no wonder her casual disregard for things, if this was how she had grown up. It was probably amazing she wasn't more like her mother. Their bags were placed neatly on the end of Jada's- oh, fine- orgy-sized bed, unopened.
"Take a seat anywhere you like." Jada said, grinning. "I suggest the bed. Oh, we have so much to do!" she almost clapped her hands. "Thank you both so much for coming to help me prepare for tomorrow. Mother won't call us for dinner; I hope you don't mind, but cookie prepared some prime rib and will be making lobster tail and shrimp to go with it for dinner. I didn't know if you liked seafood or not, so I didn't think to stop her." Jada knew the menu for the evening, like any well-bred hostess. And almost as soon as the three were taking their seats, there was a slight knock on the door and it opened, admitting a quiet woman with a silver cart. She didn't speak, waiting for Jada to dismiss her. The girl did, getting up herself to serve her friends.
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Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:55 pm
Audrey liked to think she was a nicely mannered, moralistic young girl. At least as far as you could claim such a thing when you killed a cool half-dozen people a week in cold blood for their life energy. But even she was feeling a good streak of Charonite-worthy language at the absolute grandeur and waste of this place. What the s**t did you need two pools for? Fifteen bedrooms?! Audrey knew Jada didn't have that many siblings, did perhaps her cousins all descend often? Was it rude to ask? Though the house was beautiful, the bluenette was happy to be able to collapse onto that disgustingly massive bed, hair spreading over the expensive fabrics. Her leg was killing her! Lifting her leg lazily into the air, the pale grey slacks fell away to reveal a plastic brace and ACE bandage wrapped tight around the fracture point. "Oh good, I thought my leg had detached at the knee somewhere back in the other wing. Would've been hard to dance like that!" Not that Audrey planned on dancing. At all.
At the mention of food, her eyes lit and then went slightly wide again before she chuckled wryly. "This is definitely a sleepover, Jada. Upscale and mildly insane for my...what was it, provincial taste, but totally hardcore." It was absolutely overwhelming and as the silver cart was rolled in and the servant dismissed, she felt silent and then sat up with curiosity. "Whassat? And what exactly do we need to do? I mean I understand that I'm rough and making me over takes a bit of time. Fal's already tried it, but I mean. You have a nice big staff to do everything else, right? And is playing 'light as a feather, stiff as a board' on your list? Because I think that's sleepover mandatory." It was her first sleepover with more than one person present. It was her first sleepover with anyone other than Pasha.
She was, perhaps, a mild bit excited. Maybe.
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 6:55 am
The first time Fallon came over to Jada's, she thought they had arrived at the wrong address. It was a Saturday evening after the two girls had been riding all morning. Jada offered to let her driver drop her at home, and Fallon obliged, thanking her profusely. Usually, she just took a taxi, or called the Crystal Academy car service. On the way back, they decided to go grab lunch, but Jada wanted to pop by her house to shower and change. Fallon had no idea what to expect, but Buckingham Palace wasn't on the list.
Fallon knew Jada's family had money, but Fallon's family had money too. She surmised easily that the Chamberlyn's had had money for awhile, based on some things Jada had said, while her parents' fortune was younger than she was. What she hadn't expected was the marble floors, the palatial home, and the full-time staff. There had been a flurry of mumbled surprise when she first stepped inside. Her voice echoed down the hallways like a fleeting wind.
In France, her parents owned the former summer home of an old Duke. It was massive and lavish, but nothing like this. The floors had marble insets, not entire floors, and the gold threading in her mother’s throw pillows was not actual gold. They had more rooms than they had any need for, and enough bathrooms for each of them to claim two for their personal use only. Her parents' home was also in the countryside where there was room for such extravagance. Jada lived in Destiny City, a bustling metropolis with urban planners and new designs to maximize city space. The difference in the costs of these homes was likely astronomical. Most people would have gasped in awe of Fallon’s home. Those same people would have passed out at the sight of Jada’s.
As always, Fallon expressed mild concern when the wait staff descended. She liked taking care of herself. Her parents had two maids that cleaned the home, three gardeners for the landscaping, a chef, and a driver -- but no butlers. No butlers' butlers. No one lived in their home either. They all just reported for work. Most of the time, Fallon shunned her parents’ staff away (except the gardeners, let them handle the dirt) so that she could do things in the precise way that she wanted to without objection. Many staff members had either quit or been fired over setting off a temper-tantrum from the controlled girl, but she considered that time long behind her. Ages away. It made her feel better to think it. Walking through the hallowed halls of Chamberlyn Manor, Fallon wondered briefly if there was a servants' quarter tucked away in one of the portions of the house.
Jada didn’t have to tell her twice to take her shoes off. Perching on the edge of the bed, Fallon carefully unclasped her gray pumps and placed them side by side by the foot of the bed. Her bare toes wriggled in the carpet, and she used a hand to push down on the mattress and test its firmness. A part of her wanted to plunge backward onto the bed dramatically, but like the rest of the paralyzed posse, she was still recovering from her damaged ribs and had to be careful.
Magenta eyes flickered to Audrey. "This isn't a sleepover. This is a fairy tale." Her finger traced over the smooth silk peeking out from beneath the comforter. "And Jada lives it daily -- gilded mirrors and all." She grinned at Jada, tugging the comforter straighter. She felt at ease in Jada's house. It was clean and organized, even if some of the decorating choices did not agree with hers. She liked its size, plenty of space for a person to make a particular portion of the mansion their own. Yes, it was the kind of place that Fallon could get lost in for hours, just dreaming up how she would make use of all the rooms.
Clasping her hands together, Fallon stood from the bed to face them both. "This is going to be fun." It was a fact, not an exclamation. Fallon had decided that they must have an amazing time, and so she was determined to make it so. She crossed to the silver cart and gripped the pitcher of juice. "I can do this, Jada. You should relax," she said, pouring a glass of strawberry juice and holding it up to the black-haired hostess. "Audrey, did you want juice or water?" Even though it wasn't her home or her wait staff, Fallon felt compelled to be hospitable and to handle the serving.
Her eyes flickered up to Jada. "After we eat, do you have a plan, Jada?" Fallon certainly had plans. Fallon had a lot of plans.
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:25 am
“This house is older than my Mother.” Purple eyes shifted around, almost guiltily, as though Szelem would have heard it admitted. Who knew? “From what I understand, my Great-Grandfather built it when my Grandfather was a boy, he was originally planning to make it a copy of the Biltmore Estate.” she shivered. “My Great-Grandmother threatened to leave him, so he settled with this. Daddy said that Grandfather was planning on expanding it, but unless it got torn down it wouldn't be possible, so...” Random facts. “As for this being a fairy tale?” Jada looked amused, then shook her head. “There was a reason Snow White was happier with the dwarves.” she told her friends. Well, at least Jada thought she would be. Who would want to go back to the hustle and bustle of being a princess, with expectations, after she'd been able to lead such a pleasant life in the woods? So what if the dwarves weren't romance material? “Still, enjoy it, my little pumpkins. Tonight, you are Princesses.” She stuck out her tongue at both her friends.
Willingly, Jada passed off the serving duties to Fallon. She pushed up onto the bed, to a standing position, and looked down her nose at the other two girls. “Mostly, you'll be here for moral support, and to keep me from running away. Some of mother's personal guests will be arriving this evening, but they will be staying in the other wing, and not arriving until late.” She let her body drop down to the bed, giving a single bounce before she reached out for the crystal glass filled with Strawberry Juice that Fallon held out to her. Jada took a drink, looking thoughtful. “As for my plans for the evening, they mostly consisted of the following.” She cleared her throat, taking another little sip of her juice.
“From now until dinner, we should bounce around on my bed like monkies. Followed by beating Audrey to death with pillows. I hope you aren't allergic to eiderdown, dear.” the grin she gave her blue-haired friend was almost wicked. They probably shouldn't pillow fight with those pillows, Szelem would pitch a fit. For that matter, Szelem would pitch a fit if they fought with pillows at all. What if Jada broke her nose? “I've never had a pillow fight before.” it was said almost dreamily before Jada snapped back to attention. “Then I was thinking we could go out to the pool and get some sun, maybe? Or go for a swim? I have bathing suits. Mother took my siblings in to town, so we won't see any of them until dinner, which we'll be having up here, so we won't be seeing them at all! And daddy is locked in his office. I would say we should slide down the banisters, but Mother has them decorated for the ball tomorrow.”
Jada took a deep breath. “Speaking of the ball. We'll have to review what you ladies brought- Mother's insistence- and if you don't have something 'appropriate' then it was suggested I let you girls raid my closet. If I don't have anything, she may. I'm sure you'll look fine.” Still, she was looking at them both with a gleam in her eye that suggested they may be her life-sized Barbie Dolls anyway.
Jada was probably the kind of girl to have them.
“What is light as a feather, stiff as a board?” Jada glanced at Audrey finally, asking the question that had been plaguing her throughout her entire tirade.
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 11:55 am
Before coming to Jada's home, she might have argued that in her parents' eyes, she was already a princess. Certainly she got almost anything she asked for, within reason, and was spoiled mercilessly. Linarite would have also stated that she was a princess, being that she was one of two female captains that wasn't already royalty. That meant she was a princess, and would fight Nea on that point if ever presented the opportunity. Did that make Castor her prince? Her mind wandered longingly and was shut down rapidly before she could burst into tears and distress the other two in the room. Gold eyes met Fallon's pink ones with an absent smile. "Water please, gotta stay hydrated and all."
Sitting up, Audrey became excited again and held out her fingers in demonstration. "It's supposedly super cool, though I've never been able to try it! You like, lay on the floor, arms crossed over your chest and concentrate on being weightless. The other two stick fingers beneath you and chant 'light as a feather, stiff as a board' and hopefully you float." The mention of using that glorious and sparkling pool, however, piqued the bluenette's interest almost unbearably. She was all but ready to jump in with her clothes on, she absolutely loved swimming and being in the water.
"Pool? We can use the pool? Oh god we have to use the pool. I'll go in in my dress if I have to, I have to get into the pool." Her face all but glowed with delight at this idea, and she waved her hand at the tiny bag at the end of the bed. "My outfit is in there somewhere, mama folded it and packed it in plastic so that nothing would upset it. We can unfold and put it on me later if you want. Is it rude to swim before dinner? Maybe after? I've never actually swum at night. We can pillow fight in the pool!" If it wasn't obvious what the bluenette was leaning towards, perhaps they needed a new set of ears. Or a gag.
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 7:41 pm
Fallon passed drinks to both girls, nabbing some juice for herself, and then watched the conversation bounce around like a spectator at a tennis match. "The pool sounds lovely. I brought two suits," her eyes moved to Audrey, "but you're better off borrowing one from Jada. I think you're a little too bite-sized for my suit." Fallon was built tall and long, at least six inches taller than either of her friends. She was thin, too, with a moderate bustline. Didn't matter -- Audrey would be better off in Jada's clothes.
The idea of a pillow fight brought a smirk to Fallon's lips. She didn't think exercising her violent streak was the best idea in the world, and jumping on the bed would only disrupt the neatly arranged sheets. Fallon didn't want that. But it wasn't her house, and it wasn't her sleepover. She would do her best to appease Jada today, given the fact that Hurricane Szelem was on the horizon for the morning.
Moving away from the cart, Fallon crossed to her bag and opened it. It unfolded like a Transformer, each compartment leading to another, leading to another. She made no comment on Szelem checking the dresses. She only picked up a dress bag from her luggage, hung it on the open closet door, and unzipped it so that the pink lace could peek out. Jada could look at it if she wished.
Fallon touched at the lace, tugging it until it laid neatly. "An all-girl pillow fight sounds like the start of every man's fantasy. And night swim sounds like a code skinny-dipping." She spun sharply, folding her arms across her chest and fixing the black-haired girl with a serious look. "Jada, I have to ask you to please stop hitting on Audrey and myself. Joining the other team is not going to stop your mom from setting you up with every old rich man from here to Montana. You must come to terms with this." Fallon cocked her head to one side and grinned, hair spilling over her shoulder.
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:17 pm
“We can play Audrey's 'light as a feather' game if she'd like to, though I think it sounds very silly. But it sounds fun.” Her heart-shaped face was lit like a child's who had just discovered that sleepovers would be fun. Or that Santa Claus did exist. Or that superman was in his backyard. “Then before dinner, just to get it out of the way, I'll see your dresses.” she shuddered. “So if Mother calls me, I can say I have examined your gowns.” She frowned, biting on her lip. Fallon moved over and opened up her bag, making Jada's eyes widen until she giggled. The pink lacy dress got a nod of approval, Jada catching herself before she reached over to stroke over the lovely pink lace. “I think I have a bathing suit or two that Audrey can wear, if she would like. She might have to borrow one of Zora's tops.” She teased the golden-eyed young woman, almost merciless. Well, no almost about it. “And there aren't any men here in fantasy-land tonight. An all girl pillow fight is my fantasy.” she grinned at Fallon, briefly. Then the expression changed. To delight. Complete, unmitigated delight. “I never would have pegged either one of you for being skinnydippers.” Jada almost clapped her hands together, until she remembered the glass in her hand. “We won't need swimsuits after all, if Audrey can stand to wait until after dark to get in the pool.” purple eyes gleamed with delight. “As for hitting on you and Audrey,” Jada's eyes gleamed wickedly, “I do have in my journal to give in to a few of those wicked little impulses before I am eighteen.” she took another sip of her strawberry juice. Innocent. “Then I can tell my husband, who will probably be in his forties or fifties is mother has her way, all about my wicked, wicked childhood.” she grinned, setting the glass down on the silver cart. Then the wickedness faded, and she looked gratefully at Audrey and Fallon. “Thank you both so much for doing this for me. If I was left alone to my mother's devices, I'd die. Or run away tonight. You're here to keep me from running off and never coming back.” She sighed, moving back to her bed and sitting down. “I'm relying on both of you, you know.” Then she pushed back up, impatient. “Alright, lets get most of the work part over with. I'm gonna go put on my dress. Your job is to tell me I look fabulous, and sexy, and amazing and tell me if you can see any scars, okay?” Jada had healed along with the normal progression of a second degree burn, her doctors had said. It was amazing though, there was no sign of scarring (they claimed), and as long as she was careful... “Everything is supposed to be hidden by the dress, but I want to be certain.” She moved over to one of the twin doors, pulling it open. She flicked a light switch inside the door, and it lit up on clothes. So. Many. Clothes. And Shoes. Jada moved into the closet, leaving the door open, and almost disappeared inside it. Inside, she tugged off her clothing, not bothering to close the door. She knew how deep the closet was, and if they followed her... well, they'd be seeing her in a bathing suit or less at some point in the next 24 hours. She slid into the dress, grabbed a white hair tie from the accessories rack, making a rough approximation of the hairstyle her mother would choose, and tugged out the strapped white satin heels she would be wearing, making her almost 5'6. Five inch heels, to make her look even more slender and beautiful under the long dress. Finally she stepped back out into the room, doing a little twirl and setting her hand down on a short chair. Tomorrow night, it would be a person holding her hand. Slowly, she performed the deep curtsy she would be having to give a ballroom full of judgmental people the next day. Not just any normal courtly curtsey; no, not enough for Szelem Chamberlyn. Jada's mother was having her do the damn Texas Dip. (Jada was so glad tomorrow she would have a person there to hold her hand.) She rested her cheek against the skirt of her dress for just a moment before she lifted her body back up from the floor with the help of the chair she'd gripped. "So, ladies, will I pass with the proper makeup and hair?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 10:34 pm
At the mention of borrowing the younger girl's top, it was Audrey's turn to make a face, barely even bothering to sit up on the luxurious bed that she'd made a nest in. Her leg was propped delicately on one of the eiderdown pillows and blue hair was everywhere. "Not all of us can be granted with perfect genetics, Princess. Us peasants have to make do with what we can from the general stock!" Obviously she was still holding a bit of a grudge from the hospital seder and her friend's mother's pithy commentary on her heritage and status. The mention of skinny-dipping, however, had burnt gold eyes going wide and a peach lip was caught between teeth as she nibbled nervously. "Swimming naked?! Swimming naked?" Because obviously repetition was the way to go when you were in massive denial! She flushed, paled, and flushed again as Jada dashed into the bottomless chasm that was called so affectionately a 'closet', raising her voice only slightly so that she'd be heard through the muffling of fabric. "I will, but only if you promise it'll be dark, and you won't point out my flaws anymore. It's intimidating, having mercilessly pretty friends you know!" Flattery got you everywhere in the world, and it was an incredibly sore spot with the bluenette. Of course Jada wasn't scarring, but she had scarred in several places from Regulus' attack plus several others. The scrapes on her body weren't nearly healed either, and Audrey knew for a fact there was an impressive rainbow of bruises on her back from where she'd smacked the concrete from three stories up. It wasn't pretty, and made her look like perhaps the authorities needed to go speak to her father. Which they most certainly did not. Desperate to change the topic, she'd scrambled for her bag to carefully withdraw the plastic holding her own neatly-folded dress so that it might be aired for Jada's inspection. It looked nothing like the classic style and frill of Fallon's, and when it was withdrawn and slid onto a conveniently bare hanger, the shape of a saree was evident. "It's not classic at all, but it was fairly inexpensive and will hide the scrapes." The last word was obscured by a rustle of fabric as their lovely hostess glided from her Cave of Wonders in a breathtaking cloud of white which pooled elegantly on the carpet for a moment before rising. All Audrey could do was clap and whistle appreciatively before nodding. "I'm not an expert on these things, but you're already gorgeous Jada! But tell me, when you dip down like that, is that right before the tentacles erupt from your back and fuse the rich men to you for all eternity? That's what happens at these things, right?" Her smile was wide and guileless, eyes wide with innocence. Count on Audrey to turn something elegant into pure foolishness!
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 1:36 pm
Fallon grinned, first at Jada's impishness and then, wider, at Audrey's immediate anxiety. "I went to an all girls school in France too," she said, sliding the padded hanger holding her dress out of its plastic sleeve. "Skinnydipping might has well of been a school sport." Truth be told, it was skinnydipping at a friend's house in the eighth grade that had given Fallon her very first kiss. Mallory LaRouffet, her first romance. It was short-lived, always was when it came to Fallon.
It occurred to Fallon that Audrey had no idea she was gay. Would that be awkward to know, especially if Jada held them to the skinnydipping? Jada could care less, she'd known that since the black-haired girl bluntly asked her orientation on their third meeting. Apparently, Fallon wasn't as slick about checking out passing females as she thought. Jada took one look at the dragging gaze she threw to one of the riding instructors on staff at the stables and cornered Fallon later to playfully tease her for it. But Jada was Jada. Fallon wasn't sure what would rattle her to learn. Audrey was gentler, more skittish. No way did Fallon want to make her uncomfortable.
Anxiety rose a flush in her cheeks, and she shot Jada a worried look. Jada knew Audrey didn't know. Should she say something now? Fallon would never try anything on a friend unless she thought there was something there, which she didn't, but it could make the situation more complicated. Jada's playfulness was symptomatic of her personality; Fallon didn't take it seriously.
The moment was fleeting, quickly passed over by all the talk of dresses. Fallon welcomed it. "I picture you running off anyway," she mused, fidgeting with the crinoline of her dress. "Someone dark-haired and seductive promises you a life of sex and intrigue in every continent, and you pack up and run. Night before your wedding to the oldest and richest man Destiny City has to offer. Wouldn't blame you. Just send me postcards, kay?" She waved Jada off to get dressed, offering a quick, "Let me know if you need any help! I am always willing to steal your clothing from you. You're lucky my feet are two big for your infant-sized heels!" before turning back to Audrey, who still looked a bit fear-stricken. Or maybe it was awe over the closet? Fallon had seen it before, otherwise she would have sank to her knees to praise God -- as she had on her first visit.
Fallon sipped at the edge of her glass of strawberry juice. She poked Audrey gently in the side with an elbow. "All the cool kids are doing it, Audrey. I heard that somewhere." She ignored the compliments. Audrey's self-esteem could use some work, but Fallon didn't want to spoil the moment by chastising her.
In little time, Jada reemerged from the Closet of Dreams, a vision in white. Fallon's mouth fell into a wide 'o'. She leaned over to Audrey and faux-whispered, "Jada won't need the tentacles. Every straight man in a ten block radius will voluntarily glue themselves to her." Her glass landed with a clink on the cart. Fallon flocked to Jada's side, touching at the dress. Hands slid over the fabric. "It's exquisite, Jada, impeccable taste." She peeked behind her. "And all scars are disguised, well done."
Audrey's gown got an approving nod too. "The both of you are going to make me look so underdressed." She moved toward a corner, slipping out of dress she currently wore without an apology. Fallon had on a matching pink strapless bra and hip-cut underwear, no different from a bathing suit. Her torso was thickly bandaged in white gauze, and there were the faint traces of scars over her thighs. Her dress slid on easily to cover this, flowing around her knees. She maneuvered to zip it up, tugging the strapless gown higher. "I have gloves too and heels. I'm thinking a french twist..." Hands twisted in her hair, mimicking the updo.
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 2:21 pm
“The only skinnydipping I've done has been by myself.” Jada admitted with flushed cheeks. “And I promise, the only lights will be the basic garden lights. And my room is the one closest to the pool, no one else will see unless we make a lot of noise that makes someone come out to check. I swear.” she giggled, nervous. This was going to be absolutely delightful. “And hush up, Audrey, you're gorgeous. I hate you.” That was genuine Jada facts. Stupid Audrey. She was adorable. She didn't have to work half as hard as Jada did to get twice the appreciative looks. Not to mention her skin. Ugh. Audrey and Fallon were both the best and the worst friends a self-conscious girl could have.
When she did her dip and Audrey made the joke about tentacles, Jada paled; she couldn't stop it. She could, however, mask it, and did under the guise of light-headedness. “Fallon is right, darling.” she drawled, taking the seat in her chair. “All the rich old men will attach themselves to me. That is the point, you know.” she looked guilty, just for a second. Should she tell them? No, not yet. She would tell them later, after they were too tired to yell at her. “It is a charity ball, not just my debut. We're counting on my pretty face and mother's wicked charity claws to bring in close to a million dollars for the hospital. That's the goal, anyways.” A drop in the pond, frankly. Her mother wanted much more than a million dollars. Logically, they'd be lucky to reach half a million, with the list of people who had RSVP'd. No one particularly affluent except for her father's business partners; they would be able to reach a considerable amount off of old family friends of her mother's and business partners of her father, but more than a million would be out of reach. Jada shuddered at how easily her mind had moved to the numbers. To business. To who would be the best people to try and drill for donations. To which ones her mother might be pushing her towards.
She looked over Audrey's saree, beaming. “That is such a novel idea. Mother will be green with the fact she didn't think of it first. You'll stand out. It will be positively fabulous. Now, both of you, just remember that if Mother asks you to dance with a 'family friend' that you have the choice. Most of them are pleasant old men who will be happy that a pretty young woman is willing to dance with them. Family friends are really family friends. She'll be saving the 'Business Associates' for me.” Jada was trained in swimming with sharks. Welcome to society. “If they aren't over fifty, they are the 'sons', and most of them are absolute perverts. Audrey, You know you can claim your bad leg. Fallon...” Jada made a face. “Just make sure she doesn't try and monopolize your night. I invited you two to have fun, not get dragged into my mother's charity schemes. You can tell her no, and I expect you to.” she scowled. Then her face softened.
As Fallon started stripping, Jada gave a playful wolf-whistle, giggling. No guilt there. “That dress is gorgeous on you.” she said finally. “Now.” she tapped her chin, looking her friends over. “Do you both have jewelry? Cause if not, I totally want to hook you up.” her eyes gleamed. “Please?”
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 7:20 pm
"Don't worry Jada, I'm an abysmal dancer. Even if she does manage to press-gang me in, it'll only take one. I'll crush their feet and fall over to break my other leg." After all, Elzo'd only saved their dancing session from true tedium by allowing her to stand on his feet. That memory brought a slightly warm glow to her entire attitude as she considered again the alien concept of 'skinny-dipping' and everything it entailed.
Had she been informed of Fallon's orientation, Audrey would have gone from nervousness straight into an interested speculation that would've shocked both of her companions. Even still it was hard to keep the interest out of her eyes at the idea of seeing two rather lovely young women in nothing other than what God had given them. Of course, even more hidden than Fallon's sexuality was the fact that Audrey really had none. Boy, girl, did it really matter? Not to her!
This train of thought was neatly derailed when Fallon started stripping down to her underclothes and not even sloth could keep her from joining the dress party while Jada started mentioning something about jewelry. The grey slacks went first, sliding down slim legs and revealing several scrapes and bruises against incredibly pale skin. The black tunic still covered her panties, but bending it was easy to note that they were covered all over in cupcakes. Yes, cupcakes. Apparently some habits died hard, and buying underwear that was better suited for sixth graders was one that the bluenette clung to rather heavily. The saree was off the hanger and in a quick flip, the tunic joined the slacks on the floor - her bra was thankfully devoid of tasty treats being that she'd had to shop her age for a change. Florid bruises ran halfway up her back to disappear down the printed panties, left arm scraped almost to the elbow in a long line. Visible now was something no one had seen before, tiny cut scars that ran across Audrey's torso, under her bra, and across part of her upper bicep where they faded. It looked almost as if, at one point, she'd dove head-first onto a pile of jagged glass. Before anyone could comment, the sea-green georgette was up and over her head, draping elegantly around a once-scrawny figure.
Carefully, she checked the folds and released the shoulder catch, letting it flow over her ravaged arm and hiding entirely the fact that she was injured from a rather horrific fall onto concrete. "The bra straps are in the way but...this is it." A slim bare foot kicked out the silver embroidery at the hem and she blushed, embarrassed. "I have silver heels to go with it, but nothing too high because of my leg. Uhm...I just was going to hook my necklace around my wrist, since it's silver too, yanno? I don't have much in the way of jewelry, and don't even ask about earrings. I don't have pierced ears. You guys know I'm pathetic." At the end, her voice grew almost defensive, but despite her awkward stance, it was an oddly elegant look on the exotically-colored teen. Fingers appeared from under the fabric to gather all that blue hair to one side, sinking into an empty chair and smiling nervously. "You guys know I'm up for anything." She really did mean it, and trusted the two implicitly. After all, she'd battled senshi, and gone toe-to-toe with Ursula Killingworth. What was some skinny dipping and dress-up to that?
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:48 pm
Was this happening? Was this really happening? Jada seemed pretty intent on skinnydipping, something that Fallon had said only as a joke. She certainly wouldn't take that back. Fallon did not look at Jada and Audrey as anything other than friends, but she could still appreciate them for purely shallow reasons. They were both pretty, very pretty. Her eyes would have no problem with the show that may or may not be happening later.
Adjusting the top of her dress, Fallon crossed to the mirror, appraising the fit. She needed something shorter to take pressure off her ribs and disguise the extra layer of padding. This had been her answer. "I brought jewelry," Fallon said, sweeping her hair over one shoulder. "But you know I'm always a sucker for a nice set. Does Szelem have something to donate?" She quirked an eyebrow, mischievous.
The injured naked chick party was in full swing when Audrey stripped down to put on her dress too. Fallon frowned to see the evidence of scratches, but said nothing. All three girls had been banged up by the horrors of Destiny City. No need to discuss it on this cheerful night. "You should let me pierce your ears," Fallon said, moving toward Audrey and adjusting the fall of her sleeve. "I know how to do it sterilely." She gripped the girl's earlobe. "Just a leetle pinch! And bam -- you have pierced ears." The grin was wide, playful.
Fallon spun back to Jada. "Let's eat now. Harass Audrey later." She elbowed the blunette playfully. She was so preciously befuddled a lot of the time. It made her an easy target.
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 9:21 pm
Jada leaned in to Audrey, looking delighted while she squeezed the other girl's arm. Until Audrey started stripping. She had to wolf-whistle for her other friend too, it was only polite. Her face was glowing pink, embarrassed she was being so wanton, until she noticed one thing. Cupcakes? Audrey's underwear had cupcakes? Jada giggled, clapping her hands together. “I've never gotten to wear cupcakes on my underwear. Oh, those are so adorable.” She caught the bruises, and her face darkened to a look of mild anger before it brushed away, and she was beaming at the bluenette again. “Silver heels will look fabulous. As for not being able to dance, you know I'd be willing to teach you, right?” She beamed at Audrey. “Give you something to amaze your prom date with.”
Then she turned to fallon. Beamed. “And no, all the jewelry you are about to see, ladies, is mine.” She moved over to a portrait in the wall, and pulled it open to reveal a wall safe. It was medium-sized and completely stereotypical. She pulled out a large chest, brought it over to her bed. Went back and tugged out boxes. Brought them over to the bed as well. Leaving the safe wide open, she sat on her bed, posing playfully and crooking her finger. “Come on ladies. I need you over here. With me.” A flush and a giggle, before she picked up her phone, hitting a number. “Hi Cookie. Is dinner ready?” She was quiet, listening to the other woman on the line. “I know Cookie. Please? Do I have to?” A few more moments of silence on her end, then she laughed. “Thank you Cookie. You're an angel. And we'll have dessert around 10, okay? Mmm, sounds great. One moment.” She looked up at her friends. “Creme Brulee, Strawberry Cheesecake, or Chocolate Mousse?” She paused, then grinned. “Some of everything please. I love you Cookie. You're amazing.” She hung back up the phone. “The food will be up here in a little bit, Fallon.”
She pulled off her debutante dress, not wanting to risk the pristine garment getting dirtied. She slid instead into a pair of shorts and a halter top. She moved back over to the bed, and with that, started tearing into the jewelry boxes. It took hours before items were all displayed, held up to her friends, vetoed by them when they thought Jada started getting too gaudy. There were sickening amounts of gems and jewels, on pretty chains. They ate their dinner- Prime Rib and lobster, as promised, and discussed plans for the next day. Jada showed off her fantabulous bathroom, let them wander her closet, and by the time that was all over, it was time for dessert. Around 9:30, there was a knock on the door, and Lucas' small head peeked in. “Hi. Umm, Jayjay?”
“Yeah?”
“Castor peed on my floor. I decided I don't like him after all. Can you take him back?” Now, as this line made Jada giggle like a mad person (She was so glad she'd named her cat Castor, it provided endless amusement) she may have gotten some odd looks. Still, all was explained for people when a few minutes later the butler walked in, carrying a mewling, wriggling kitten. Jada took him from the older man's arms, cooing and chiding the little kitten, who mewled at her contentedly and made his home on her shoulder, nibbling on her ear before dropping to her chest and kneading his little paws over her chest, using her as a pillow. She slid him into his kitty home, setting him in the bathroom and closing the door. “Not marking your territory on my carpet, young man.” She told the kitten. He didn't wake up.
They kept up with random little things until midnight, little plans for tomorrow, until Jada finally opened her door, peeking out into the house. It was still, dimly lit. “Alright.” She turned back to her friends. “We need towels.” She grabbed a few out of the bathroom, thick and absorbent. They weren't huge, so she grabbed two for each of them, one for hair and one to dry their bodies before they came back inside. It was probably going to be a cold night. “Grab anything you want to take out with us. Are we still up for nudity, or have you two copped out?” purple eyes were dancing mischievously. Hands moved up to her halter top, daring. “Yes or no, I'm totally up for this.”
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Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 10:43 pm
Out of everything there was to comment on, the bruises, the rough scabbed scrapes, the scars of tiny slices that made it look like Audrey self-harmed in her spare time, all Jada could find something to comment on were the goddamn cupcakes? Of course she blushed dreadfully and was careful to pull on the grey sweats before carefully removing the saree and hanging it up again, to pull on a t-shirt before her mouth dropped open at Fallon's suggestion. "Pierce my ears? But I don't have earrings, and I don't think Jada's going to let me waltz out of here with diamonds in my ears. Are you?" She might, the raven-haired heiress was fairly casual with her things and her money, bless her heart. The question was only answered with a silvery laugh as piece after piece of extraordinarily beautiful diamond and God only knew what else jewelry was pulled from the depths of the safe boxes to be displayed in a perfect compliment to the luxury of the white satin sheets. It was like some sort of opulent dream that Audrey couldn't wake herself up from, and was enjoying immensely. Her cousins were fairly affluent due to a clever invention, but not to the extent that the Chamberlyn family absolutely bled riches. Eventually the teen plucked up a strand of familiar shapes and almost sadly smiled to herself. "I think I might borrow this for tomorrow, if that's alright? Pasha would approve of stars." 'You're still my star.' echoed almost longingly in her head and the bluenette got up to totter clumsily on her hurt leg to inspect it in the mirror so that neither girl might see the effort she was making against tears. Some hurts took time to heal, after all. Dinner being wheeled in saved her from awkward questions, and Audrey all but salivated over the beef that was quickly devoured and then in seconds. She'd never before tasted prime rib, and was unsure how she would live without it when she left this dream palace that her friend lived in every day. All the girls smiled when Lucas arrived, though the mention of the name had her paling. Castor? Sailor Castor? What was he doing here? And why was he peeing on the carpet in a nice home? He wasn't like that! Gold eyes whirled with confusion, panic, and a nice helping of heartbreak until a fluffy little cat was brought in and chastised for the crime. It was all smoothed over when the petite little girl tucked away almost all the chocolate mousse that had been brought up to them, delirious with the confection, which was perhaps why, when Jada started to tease at midnight, Audrey took her courage by the balls and rose to the challenge. A pull of the string and grey pants pooled on the floor, the t-shirt followed until it was once again a plain dark pink bra and cupcake panties once again. "If I'm the brave one in this room right now, then we're absolutely screwed." The bluenette snatched a towel and headed for the door. "I'm not about to ruin my clothing in the pool, I'm bare if you are." Sugar rush was, to Audrey Collins, akin to being drunk. Not entirely wise things happened, but boy, it was fun!
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Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2010 6:26 am
A paging system in the house? Fallon would have to have one of those when she was older. It was so efficient. She swept up beside Jada, jockeying for a good view. Fallon was a sucker for jewelry, and Jada was not one to disappoint. Her eyes glowed radioactive as she took in each sparkling gem and polished pearl. There was so much she wanted, but it was immediately obvious what would suit her dress. Fallon gently pulled out a rose-toned cameo with a strand of cloudy pink pearls. It was lovely. She didn't ask permission as she slipped it on her neck. By the time dinner was there, Fallon had already steamed her gown and hung it up to straighten. Her shoes were tucked back in the little case she brought, and she was wearing a pair of black capris leggings and a long lilac tank top, hair hanging in a long ponytail on top of her head. The food was delicious, impressive even, and Fallon made Cookie swear he'd cook with her some day. His desserts were spectacular, and that was an area where Fallon needed the most help. Fallon didn't know any Castor (aside from the kitten), but she smiled when Jada's brother came in. She'd never had any siblings. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad? By the time the hour approached for the night swim, Fallon had almost forgotten. She thought the banter was all playful, as it usually was, but the glint in Jada's eye told her that the debutante-to-be wanted a little intrigue the night before her big day. Rising from the bed, Fallon grabbed some of the towels. "Like I said -- it was a school sport in France," she said, slipping her capris to the floor. She kept on the tank top and panties and then led the way to the pool. The water was a glassy teal, almost ultraviolet, even in the dark. Fallon didn't doubt it was some kind of special water. She threw her gaze to the other two girls and gently set the towels on the nearest chair. "If we're doing this, it should be one for all and all for one. Jumping in at the same time in the deep end." It wasn't her first time to the naked girl rodeo, but Fallon still didn't want to be the first one to take the plunge. She'd rather it be together. Granted... she'd need to fold her clothes first. Magenta eyes moved to Jada. "Come on, Miss Debutante. Your sleepover, your call." She glanced back up toward the house. "...you're sure they won't hear us?" Fallon eyed Audrey with a touch of concern.
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