There was a long list of things that Adelaide hated about planes, you were confined into a small space with so many strangers who had god knows what type of diseases as they coughed into the air without thinking to block their mouths. Grimacing a little bit, she pulled her blanket closer to her mouth in an attempt to protect herself from them, she hated people so much. She would have given anything to have been able to drive from the city but of course her old car finally kicked the bucket several days earlier. It would have cost more to fix it instead of the plane. While Adelaide was tempted to pay the money it would have left her with almost nothing till she got a job in town. With all the thoughts floating around her mind, sleep never came instead chocolate eyes just stared out the window into the darkness of the night as they glided through the air. This wasn’t the worse situation she could be in at least.

Her grandparent’s home was just as she remembered just more weathered. Smiling Adelaide walked into the home, taking settling in as memories flooded her. Empty boxes started to stack themselves but if she had to be honest, she felt like she had achieved nothing so far. Pouting she was about to open a new box when her stomach grumbled reminding her she hadn’t eaten since the morning when she got into the airport. Adelaide was scared to check the fridge, unsure if anyone had taken care of that whole situation. The walk to the dinner wasn’t bad, the weather was nice and warm without the feeling of dehydration. Almost nothing had changed, the spot where the movie theater once stood was now a memorial. When it caught her eye something in her heart broke but just as quickly as she looked at it she looked away moving to the diner instead. Conversations were had and somehow she ended up invited to a party, well not just a party but the party.


It was a popular thing here, she heard about it during her visit and when she was younger she looked forward to the possibility of going to one when she was a teenager. The thought made Adelaide roll her eyes, she was an annoying child but she wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity to talk to others and maybe get some information that might help the investigation. When Adelaide headed to the museum she noticed how quiet the streets were, shops had closed early and everyone appeared to either be going home or her direction. The party was already going, everyone inside was talking in one of the exhibits that looked like it went through the evolution of man - dimly light by the displays with tables of food and drinks. Grabbing a cup Adelaide made her way to another room following the sound of dance music as she did, they seriously went all out. Looking around with wide eyes she was surprised they were able to do things like this, taking a sip of her drink she smiled to a few people as they smiled to her but she had no clue where to start. Pushing some of her long brown hair behind her ear she tried to find a corner to hide in for now.

This night ain't for the faint of heart,
Cause the faint of heart gonna fall apart

Amelia couldn't help but shake her head as she took a drag of the cigarette. Pressing her palms to the edge of the counter, her eyes never left her reflection. Messy, she thought bitterly to herself, rubbing at the dark circles that rested under her eyes. Tonight was probably her last night to get wild before she packed up and was shipped off to a rehabilitation center. A dread settled in her stomach at the thought, but maybe she needed a break from this fucking town. Surely, no one would miss her. "Ugh, what am I, a fifteen-year-old girl?" She scoffed at her own thoughts, snickering to herself as she took another long drag of the cig. It was a party, for fuck's sake. She should be getting hyped. Not acting like she was about to attend her own funeral. Turning on the faucet of the bathroom sink, she put the dwindling cigarette underneath the water. As it sizzled out, Amelia tossed it into the trash, before splashing her face with the cool tap water.

She needed to look her best for the evening, which meant at least an hour doing her makeup. Her highlighter has to be on point or she'll just be a lost cause. Her eyes scanned the mass array of products she owned, a little hum settling in the back of her throat as she pulled out a plum matte lippie. Jason would surely be there, and she wanted to look her best when she told him about her plan to get over her addiction. Maybe it would stop him from sleeping around. A girl can hope, at least. She grimaced to herself at the thought, pushing it to the back of her mind as she applied the lipstick and smiled at herself in the reflection. Royal purples were always so complimentary.

It took a decent while for her to get her appearance the way she wanted it. She ran her fingers through her hair, mussing it up some before she nodded in contempt. She had to pick out an outfit for the party. She slipped into something simple and stylish, tugging at the sleeves of her throw. She was probably going to be in mom jeans and pajamas at the rehab center, so why not go all out tonight? Grabbing her phone, she looked at her lockscreen. A picture of her and Jason from a couple months ago, grinning together before they started fighting. Scowling, she shoved the device into her pocket.

Stepping into the museum, Amelia grinned as she saw some familiar faces. She waved at a few of them, hugged a few more, and simply made herself known at the party. She grabbed a drink, taking a sip of it and leaning against one of the displays. She pulled her phone out once more, pulling up Jason's number before sending him a lighthearted text.

Tell me when you're here. I miss you. (;

They were always fighting nowadays, but maybe one night of fun could help rekindle their broke relationship.

Bruised knuckles and flying fists always was a great start to a party. Wouldn’t of been Nuko Maes if he hadn’t come to this dingy museum with a bloody lip. He was pressed against the brick wall with nothing but lonely gaggles of people smoking around the shrubs, and a tight-lipped sonofabitch with a fist-full of his t-shirt. Shouting obscenities while he laughed. Laughed, of all things, because it was ridiculous. Of course, he’d been drinking. His breath stunk of cheap whiskey and cigarette smoke, and his pale peepers were feverishly bright. His gripped the taller man’s wrist and let his free one push against the wall he’d been trapped against. Using the leverage he had, Nuko smashed his forehead against the man’s nose and felt an explosion of dizziness sweep over him.

It worked. Angry guy’s grip loosened and he buckled under the pain. Probably hurt like hell. Blood sputtered from his nose like a faucet and he grappled on to it with a withering groan. Nuko took the opportunity to push him to his back with the toe of his spattered shoes, sniffling at his own aching jaw. He wiped the back of his hand across his lips and hawked the coppery-tasting swill from his mouth onto the grass, eying the asshole gurgling on his back all the while. Babbling about something he couldn’t understand. How’d the fight even start? Dude was drunk and stupid enough to sit on his bike after he’d parked it in the lot. Didn’t take kindly to it, so he hauled off and clocked him without asking any questions.

Besides, he wasn’t sure why he was here. Usually avoided social gatherings like the plague. Not because he didn’t enjoy being around people, but people usually didn’t like being around him. Too much trouble. Too dark. Maybe the scar pulling at the corner of his lip scared ‘em off. He wasn’t sure, but he didn’t like the stares. Pity or disgust—it meant the same thing.

Suppose he told Jae he’d show up. And if he said he’d do something… even if he didn’t like it, he damn well would. He wiped the sweat from his brow and straightened his jacket. No point wasting any more time outside with the shitty company he’d found in the yard. “Cheers, ya?” He mumbled as he walked around the large shrubs and mumbling smokers, stepping onto the stone steps leading up to the museum doors. Dance music already wafted down, albeit muffled. He jogged up the stairs and idled outside, fishing his pack of Malboro’s from his pocket and tipping one out into his hand. Best calm his nerves before throwing himself to the sharks. He wasn’t looking forward to seeing Jason drape himself all over Ame’s. Or whoever else caught his eye.

Better find Jae, in any case.

[ Where you at? I’m here. ]

Text sent. Nuko took a drag from his cigarette, exhaled smoke from his nose and leaned against the brick wall. He tipped his head and turned his attention skywards. People came and went. Familiar faces from his peripheral vision. Pushing past the gaggles, opening the double-doors and slamming them shut. Everyone was here for the party. Or had other things in mind. Him? He didn’t know. Never usually did.

All day Jason wrestled with the decision on whether or not he would attend this year’s party. There wasn’t a particular reason why he didn’t want to go, just a feeling that didn’t sit too well with him. Maybe it was all the built up tension over the last few months surrounding him and his friend group, or that a few people he hadn’t seen in years were suddenly popping up out of nowhere. But, at the end of the day, he couldn’t resist a good time. Besides, he had been working pretty hard lately with a full schedule that left him no room for fun. So little time in fact that he hardly had enough time to run home home and shower after work. He moved through the motions of getting ready, never minding the clock even as it was getting late. There was a small sliver of dread that nestled itself in his core, but Jason merely downed a couple of beers to drown it out.


By the time he was about to walk out the door, his phone buzzed in quick succession in his back pocket. Jason lit up a cigarette once he was outside and shoved the pack and the lighter into his jacket pocket before retrieving the phone. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly at the words, his finger swiping to reply.





If there was anything in the world that would cause him an iota of pain, it was Amelia. How could something that started out so perfect wind up so convoluted and dark? To be honest, the situation wasn’t fair to either of them. Between his cheating and her addiction, they created a toxic environment that their vices fed off of. Perhaps one of the only differences was that Jason could willfully stop his illicit activities whereas Amelia was probably at the point where it was no longer her choice; addiction was no joke.


He wrestled with it for years, his adulterous habits. At first it was a stupid, teenage hormone driven affair. But as the years went on and as Amelia relied more and more on pills than him, he only got worse. He couldn’t confide in her at one point, finding that when he needed her the most she wasn’t...there. Not as herself, anyway. So his habit to turning to other people just stuck until it was more of a supplement than anything else. Some nights he wished it were different, that they were different. It was hard caring for someone who was destroying themselves; he refused to watch it. At the very least, after a while he didn’t deny it. He had owned up to his deeds admitting that he was wrong and that it was an asshole move. But at the end of the day, it was cheaper than therapy and if she wasn’t going to try, why should he?


Jason scrubbed the side of his face with his free hand as he walked. According to his mother, they both needed a good, meaningful therapy session. His mother loved Amelia and often scolded her son over how she needed someone to stick by her instead of turning his back on her every other weekend. His father stopped breaching the subject all together. Whatever they would do, it needed to happen for he was growing weary. They’d have to talk -- an actual conversation instead of yelling and fighting, and figure something out. He was tired of everyone looking at him as if he were some sort of monster.

He flicked his cigarette into a puddle before entering the museum, grateful for the dim lighting. The crowd was starting to thicken, meaning that it'd be easier to maneuver without a million eyes on him; he wasn't quite ready for the barrage of questions from people he hadn't seen in awhile. Instead, he slipped through the crowd hoping that Amelia's vivid hair would serve as a beacon in the sea of people, and it did. She looked good, happy even. Jason sidled up next to her, dipping his head to deposit a kiss on her cheek.

"You look great." He offered with a grin, feeling a wave of nostalgia crash over him. Things would be so much different if they were...well, different. Jason was the first to admit that he lost many things, including good friends because he was acting like a spoiled brat. If only he could pull up out of the nose dive, he'd be golden. He chewed on his lip for a moment before pulling a face, one lost between unsurety and hesitation. "Hey...we should.." Jason drew in a breath, trying to find the right words that wouldn't sour the mood before the night even started. "We should talk, after this. Get some coffee at the diner." He hoped that his tone was calm and even though so that it didn't come off as mean spirited. To soften his approach, he raised his hand to her cheek briefly, his fingers brushing against the softness of her skin. They both needed to grow up, or separate. It was as simple as that.

It took some time before Deli started to feel comfortable amongst the growing crowd. She was thankful the corner she was in gave her a little bit of comfort. Everyone around her was laughing and talking, pretty much everyone seemed to know one another making her feel like the odd man out the more she just stood around. Suddenly she started to think that tonight wasn’t the night to gather information, she might be better off to leave for now. Honestly she wasn’t entirely sure how to go about the whole situation, taking her phone out of her pocket Deli knitted her eyebrows at the zero notifications. The officer that had put the damn idea into her head hadn’t gotten back to her since she got to town which did nothing but frustrate her with a low grumble she shoved her phone back away. Taking a sip from her drink, she let out a low sigh due to her thoughts before a small group of girls suddenly approached her, “You look lonely!” One of them screeched tipsily at her before latching an arm into one of her own. It took her by surprise and at first she wanted to run away but in mere minutes they were all talking, they bombarded her with questions about her past. Deli kept it fairly vague not wanted them to associate her with grandparents just yet.


The conversation was going well until one of the girls turned oddly causing her drink to spill onto Deli’s shirt. “I am so sorry!” Immediately the other reached out trying to do whatever could be done in order to fix the problem but it had already soured her mood.


“It’s okay, don’t worry about it.” Pushing the girl’s hands away gently she just continued to smile, trying her hardest not to tell her off about watching her inability to hold her liquor. “I’m just going to get some air.” Quickly Deli got away from the situation entirely mumbling under her breath the whole time. Going outside subdued her anger the second the cool fresh air hit her nose. Reaching into her over shirt pocket, the anger came back when she realized the spilled drink ruined the pack of matches she had. With a cigarette in her hand her eyes darted around, mostly everyone had started to filter back inside but the smell of smoke was coming from somewhere. Following it she saw a man leaning against the brick wall of the building, “Can I borrow your lighter?” Calling out, she walked over to him with a small smile.

The doors slammed ahead of him. It took him a second to realize that someone was walking towards him. Asking if he had a lighter. Nuko startled a little, if only because he was surprised anyone would approach him. He had a reputation of being a shitty sonofabitch to be around—too much trouble to rub shoulders with at least. Besides, he didn’t look too good right now. Busted lip, grass-stained jeans. Looking like he dragged himself out of the gutters. But here she was. A girl. Brown-haired and bright-eyed. Unfamiliar to him, which was weird because they lived in a particularly small town. He made a humming noise of assent and stepped away from the wall, “Yeah, sure.”

Jae hadn’t responded yet. Maybe he wasn’t even planning to show up after all. He’d said he would, but now he wasn’t sure. Staying put outside beat wandering around inside. Bumping into familiar faces didn’t sound too appealing. Besides, it was damn stuffy in there. He didn’t doubt that there’d be drunk girls stumbling around in knife-like heels, clasped in tight-knit groups… screeching how this was their favorite song. He fished the bullet-shaped lighter from his pocket and held it out to her. But instead of handing it over, Nuko poised his thumb across the flicker. Ready to light it. If it was at all something strange to do for someone he’d never met, he didn’t give any indication he cared.

A slight grin cracked across his lips, dragging the scar back and revealing teeth.

“Someone already ruined yer’ shirt in there, eh?”

Even if he looked amused, he hadn’t laughed. This girl—she was a stranger. The more he looked at her, the more he thought that she just didn’t seem the type to be around these parts. He’d been here long enough to know. She wasn't stumbling down the stairs with an entourage of girls in tow, head-thrown back; cackling. Sure, there was plenty of smokers in there, but he knew most of them. Probably gave them smokes at some point. Seemed like he was always outside of whatever event was happening. Close enough to feel the heat, but far enough not to be involved. If she’d been living here for awhile, he was sure he would’ve seen her. Or at least heard about her from Jae. Maybe Jason... if they still talked. His tone come out in a lazy drawl.

“M’names Nuko.”