carmenflores

[carmenflores]

text • dante ✨

DANTE: oh, carmen. i'm so sorry to hear that.

DANTE: is there anything i can do... to help you? or your family? i'm around here always, i'm not going anywhere i mean, if you need anything.

DANTE: but, yeah, yes. i can understand that... the traces of what life could've been and stuff.

DANTE: it's very strange.

CARMEN: thanks dante, i really appreciate it

CARMEN [unsent]: you are a good friend

CARMEN: i meant what i said the other day, you should come over and have dinner. my dad would love to see you, and so would i

[carmenflores]

c h a r l i e ​:

there’s a lot of times in charlie’s life that he’s been selfish, and as soon as he remembered the campfire was also the night of carmen’s birthday, he realized it was just another example. he was too involved in himself and in his own shit to realize he was hurting her. he reminds himself that he has a complicated history with carmen - maybe she doesn’t even expect anything from him. he’s always wondered how she was - especially after everything that went down with her and victor. as soon as she offers the one armed hug, he feels awkward. he decides to return the hug, lips pressed together tightly. “no one in this town is hoping to run into me. i’m fine. happy late birthday, by the way,” he grumbles, with a little too much annoyance. his misfortune is not her fault and he needs to not take it out on her.

carmen takes the grumbles, waving them away with her trademark smile. “hey we are friends aren’t we? of course i’m glad i ran into you,” she said warmly. “i need to fill you in on more lake wisteria real estate gossip, if you are interested.” quickly, carmen made sure to bring the conversation to a safe topic before she made a mistake. the text she did not send weighted on her shoulders. the question threatened to burst out of her chest at any moment. have you talked to him? did he tell you? do you know why i stayed with him for so long? wondering what charlie knew and what he didn’t would be her undoing. the only way to make it out of their interactions safe and sound was to stick to easy, lighthearted conversation on her end, and avoid being seen together. “i did some research, by the way. your mom’s house is in a prime location, it should not be hard at all to sell.”

[carmenflores]

closed starter for @lennnon​

carmen’s heels hit the pavement quicker than usual as she approached the getaway. damn cornelia st. and their delicious coffee, she thought to herself as she crossed the door. talking to levi, she had lost track of time and it hadn’t been until her second large iced coffee that she had remembered she was supposed to bring by another one for merritt. she walked over to the bar and grinned at dante. “can you get this to merritt? i’m just going to use the bathroom real fast. also, this one is for you,” she said, placing the iced drink on the counter next to a brown bag containing a muffin. she pushed herself off the bar and quickly made her way to the restroom. carmen should have known better than to expect the women’s restroom to be empty on a saturday, but she was only barely able to keep in a groan after she saw lennon standing in line. keeping all emotions out of her face, carmen eyed herself in the mirror as she took her spot behind the blonde. it had been a long time since the two of them had shared a mirror. carmen remembered scanning their features as they reapplied their makeup between classes, scanning for similarities, for truth in victor’s threats. above all, she had looked for understanding, for a feeling of belonging. but after a rocky end to a rocky sisterhood friendship, she knew better than to expect that from the blonde. instead, carmen crossed her arms around her chest and leaned against the wall, focusing on willing time to move faster. 

[carmenflores]

o w e n ·:

“yeah, that might be because everyone keeps popping up out of nowhere.” owen murmured, though there was really not much of a bite behind his words. seeing how things had went down at the bonfire had sort of made him realize that he never wanted to reach that point. blowing things out of proportion like that, making everyone go through a night from hell. charlie deserved to hurt after everything that he’d done but he knew that, despite how much he didn’t like carmen, but she didn’t deserve to be treated like he had been treating her lately. “sorry your birthday got screwed over the other night.”

not me. she wanted to say. once upon a time, carmen had been one of lake wisteria’s regulars. even when she moved in with victor a couple hours away, the two often spent their weekends at their parents’, came back for church, or drove at night to fulfill a freidos craving. she hadn’t popped out of nowhere, she had returned home. even if it was a home that she did not quite recognize anymore, and vice versa. instead she just nodded at his murmur, eyes fixed on her mechanical movements. except this time owen broke the silence. “oh,” she said, looking up to him briefly. “thanks, but don’t worry about it. you know me, never been a fan of birthdays anyway. i feel bad for delia, though.”

[carmenflores]

c o r d e l i a ·:

the past was something that delia couldn’t change – the wayshe’d been in high school was a crucial piece to her puzzle, but the last fewyears? they’d been an astronomical help in forging a much stronger, much moregenuine cordelia. one that pushed her problems so far down they didn’t evenexist anymore. right? “oh, trust, carmen flores, i know it’s not, but thank youfor the reminder,” she quips happily, falling into step easily. once they makeit to the car, the raven-haired girl, buckles in and claps her hands togetherhappily. “i adore any sort of beverage that contains champagne,” a soft hum asshe settles into the passenger’s seat, slipping a sandal off before pulling herleg underneath her. “where are you taking me? so mysterious. i wonder if i’veever been,” unlikely. “you don’t happen to have sunglasses do you?” a furrowedbrow. “i left mine in paris and need to buy new ones.”

carmen happily settled in, enjoying the familiar motions of driving with the soundtrack of delia’s words. “glad to hear that, i only really drink champagne in mimosas but it is one of the best things in life,” she agreed with a smile before reaching over and pointing at the glove compartment in front of delia. “there should be a pair of sunglasses there,” she said, eyes drifting to cordelia for a moment, registering everything about the way she sat, the way her leg disapeared underneath her. at ease, comfortable. delia was comfortable around her. butterflies fluttered in carmen’s stomach and she returned her eyes to the road. “i’m taking you to my favorite restaurant. i’m almost positive you’ve never been but i’m still not going to ruin the surprise, just in case,” she said with a smile. “now tell me everything about paris. start with your favorite part.”

[carmenflores]

do something pretty while you can, don't fall asleep, driving from california to new york. call me a prophet if you like, it's no secret. you know the world is made for men.

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: please do, i need entertainment

charlie: done, i can 100% do that

charlie: honestly though, a power move.

carmen: i'll let you know when the next one is

carmen: i'm sure my co-workers will appreciate me bringing a model

carmen: we can all hope to grow up like him

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: it really is

charlie: maybe modeling is the wrong move

charlie: HONEY CHEERIOS. a power move. wtf

charlie: hm.

carmen: you can still get a taste of it, i'll invite you to the open houses

carmen: just pretend to be interested in buying and drink wine

carmen: yeah, that kid will be on our honor wall forever

[carmenflores]

text • dante ✨

DANTE: gotcha, gotcha.

DANTE: how is everything, being back here?

CARMEN: it's... surreal to be honest

CARMEN: like i keep finding traces of the life i was supposed to be living by now, but everything is so different

CARMEN: i came back because my mom is sick. so not exactly the welcome home i was expecting. but it's good, being home

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: STOP omfg that's

charlie: damn

charlie: give me the funny tea now

charlie: you're the absolute best

carmen: real estate huh? a real trip

carmen: like two weeks ago they had a bad ant problem with one of the houses, turns out one of the kids put honey cheerios under all of the carpets before they moved out

carmen: so i've been told

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: ..... omfg what

charlie: i appreciate that

charlie: she just doesn't want to let go of the memories but i'm trying to convince her she'd rather have me close

charlie: so i'm hoping you'll be able to maybe help convince her to sell? idk

carmen: i'm just saying a very mysterious long-lost relative is now selling the house

carmen: i'll bring my best real estate agent charm, i promise

[carmenflores]

text • dante ✨

DANTE: well, that's nice! when's the last time you saw her?

CARMEN: less than a month, i was staying at her place before coming back

CARMEN: took the long way home though, the train i mean

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: dark then funny

charlie: i mean i can also definitely pay you

charlie: i just need to try to get my mom to see that the house really can be sold

carmen: i'm pretty sure the lady from the big house on elm, you know the one with the stained glass windows, i'm pretty sure she didn't die of natural causes

carmen: don't be silly, i'll look around and give you my honest opinion

carmen: it's a good location, i'm sure i'd go fast

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: okay now i need more gossip - what other crazy shit goes on in this town?

charlie: thanks. would you ever be willing to look at the house maybe?

carmen: what flavor of gossip would you like? dark or funny?

carmen: of course, let me know when i can come by

(a beat)

carmen [unsent]: have you talked to victor?

carmen: free of charge of course

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: make it a little bit your brand maybe

charlie: oh my GOD on the stairs? jesus

charlie: that's.... ew

charlie: yeah. but she usually wins

carmen: i'll consider it

carmen: shameless. i am going to be sick tomorrow when i go look at the house

carmen: i have faith in you

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: i haven't but you need to start

charlie: sometimes finding out the drama can be fun though

charlie: maybe, but she's a stubborn woman. never listens to me.

carmen: not sure that's my brand

carmen: last week, a woman called us to put a house on the market because she caught her husband cheating with the kids' art teacher... on the stairs

carmen: good thing you're stubborn too? i say this kindly

[carmenflores]

text mssg ~ carmen

charlie: oof. tell people to fuck off. it's none of their business

charlie: yeah? tell me more

charlie: that's the hope, but mom isn't into it at all. she doesn't want to leave her home

carmen: when have you ever heard me say those words?

carmen: well, planning the open houses is fun. and decorating houses so it looks like people live there. also finding out drama that doesn't involve me

carmen: that's though. but i can understand that

carmen: i'm sure you'll convince her, with time