harlowinters-blog

[harlowinters-blog]

hey loves if any of y’all want to keep in touch feel free to send me an im. & i’m planning on coming back when this lovely rp revamps ( maybe w/ harlow ... maybe w/ a diff char, who knows !! ) 

[harlowinters-blog]

gvrgias:

       right now the two feel like the same thing. ‘ whatever. you’re my hero, like it or not, ‘ georgia replies with teasing smile. she’s grateful for harlow, now more than ever. for all that she’s acting like it’s no big deal, half of her so-called friends here would probably just laughed, not come to her rescue. ‘ i don’t know, maybe i’d just leave you to suffer, ‘ georgia said, but it’s hard to believe that, even of herself. she’s nice, is the thing ; she’d help people who wouldn’t even bat an eyelid when she was in trouble. ‘ god, yes. i think a graceful exit is exactly what i need right about now, ‘ georgia continued with a relieved sigh. ‘ holy - FIVE different kinds of mac & cheese? we need to order all of them and try them, immediately. ‘ never mind that she probably shouldn’t be eating that many carbs when there were shows to be done tomorrow. life was SHORT and mac & cheese is always worth it. 

“Fine, I guess I’ll take the title,” Harlow beams, letting out a laugh. She’s determined to keep the mood light after what Georgia just experienced -- embarrassing oneself at an industry event is near traumatic. She’ll do whatever she can to keep the other’s mind off her little mishap. “Let’s go for it, then,” she says, linking arms with the brunette beauty, before leading the way out of the restroom & guiding them towards the exit. “That we do. I know I don’t need the carbs right now, but I’m craving them.” 

[harlowinters-blog]

carterslades:

    “whatever you say, winters — but just so you know, next time i’m at your house, i’m snooping around for spellbound merchandise.” the moment his back hits the mattress & his head a mountain of feathery pillows, he’s convinced he’s found nirvana. the right hotel bed has that effect — or was it the company? he’s more comfortable with the former. her sudden confession catches him off guard, sirens blaring between his ears as he searches frantically for a response. an impulsive i missed you, too threatens to slip off his tongue, but he swallows his words with a bite of cheesecake.  “everything does taste better in new york,” he claims obnoxiously, immediately going in for another forkful. as their eyes meet, a meaningful look flashes across his face — a wordless way of expressing how he truly felt, but was too scared to say aloud. “so how does this mask of yours work? will it make me beautiful? well, more beautiful.”

Thank goodness that all the physical evidence of her secret Spellbound shame was back in her childhood bedroom, rather than her luxe Los Angeles apartment. The last thing she needed was Carter stumbling upon the Grant Stryker doll her mother had gotten her one Christmas. Her smile falters for a moment, however, when her sentiment isn’t returned. What did she expect ? This was Carter she was dealing with, after all -- he’s not exactly an open book. Still, she keeps up her otherwise cheery facade, knowing that there was something further in his gaze that he’s not quite ready to express ( at least -- that’s what she hopes is the case ). “More beautiful ? Hopefully. You do have some worry lines that look like they need smoothing out,” she jokes, grabbing the small jar & pulling off the lid. Inside was the most glittery goop she ever laid her eyes on. “We apply it, leave it for like -- 20 minutes, I think, then peel off. So -- should I do you first ?” 

[harlowinters-blog]

carterslades:

    after getting the answer his rumbling stomach was hoping to hear, he gladly returns to his ordinary height & locates two shiny, silver forks — only for a theatrical groan leaves his lips at her oh-so-hilarious addition. “i had no idea you were a fan.” much to his horror, the words are without a fleck of annoyance — pretty revolutionary for someone who spent the last three days answering questions on the subject. “in fact… not to long ago, i seem to recall someone calling it a pre-teen vampire show.” using one of the utensils as a makeshift microphone, he lowers his voice several octaves, newscaster style. “care to explain?”

“I wouldn’t really call myself a fan,” she counters, spinning on her heel only to go grab the glitter face mask she received in one of the swag bags given out at the shows, “but I caught an episode or two back in the day.” Or she was a giant fan -- but that’s something she’d never admit to him. “I was joking about the marathon. I don’t even think there’s even one on.” Oh -- she knew it for sure. Spellbound Weekend on the CW ? That’s a can’t miss. Flopping back on the California King so kindly provided by the Plaza Hotel, she gestures for him to join her. “I missed you,” she blurts out, the admittance accompanied by flushed cheeks. She can’t even believe she spoke the words out loud -- but there they are, hanging on the air around them, heavy with meaning. 

[harlowinters-blog]

carterslades:

    “ask nicely? you do realize who you’re talking to?” all grumblings aside, he begins to root through piles of barely-touched goodies until finding a plate of desserts & removing it carefully — like an unruly jenga piece. plopping down on one knee in a disgustingly playful gesture, he extends the dish & glances up at the brunette with the big, cobalt eyes that made a certain witch hunter the object of every teenage girl’s affections for eight long years. “harlow winters, will you please — please — share this delicious slice of new york cheesecake with me while you slather our faces with a ridiculous mask of your choosing?”

“Mhm,” she answers, her grin only widening, “That’s exactly why I said it.” His next move has her raising a perfectly arched brow ( thank you Anastasia Beverly Hills ! ), but once he holds the plate up towards her, it’s not long before she’s erupting in a fit of giggles. “Hmm, I guess I could share -- plus, that was the plan for tonight anyways. That and watching the Spellbound marathon on the CW. I’m sure you’re up for that -- no ?” She’s teasing of course ( but she might’ve watched a few episodes if she was on her own. )

[harlowinters-blog]

carterslades:

    when she steps aside, allowing him entry to the lavish suite, it was like the theoretical barrier that had been keeping them at arm’s length for so long had finally been lifted. clearly, something he said seemed to resonate. carter doesn’t particularly care what it was — he’s just glad to be back in her good graces. it’d been a while since he craved another’s approval so deeply. as terrifying as the whole thing was, it was also kind of thrilling — he actually liked having something to prove.

    “believe it or not, i’m not too crazy about it myself. veronica has this fucking psycho ex & — never mind, it’s not important.” why? because the second the door shuts behind him, carter suddenly feels more exposed than he did five seconds ago, pleading in the doorway. her acknowledgement of his gesture is something he’s been waiting on since his appearance, but there’s an almost self conscious shift in his mannerisms as he surrenders a half-flustered grin. “i can’t believe you ordered enough room service for ten.”

She’s close to telling him to shut up -- the last thing she wants to hear about is his setup with Veronica right now -- but he manages to stop himself before she has to intervene. Thank god. They could discuss all that later -- right now, well, she’d been through enough of an emotional rollercoaster to want a reprieve. 

“I couldn’t decide what I wanted, so I over-ordered & took at least one bite out of everything,” Harlow replies, with a shrug. Oh the luxury of having money to burn. “If you’re hungry, I’ll share, But you need to ask nicely.” It’s easy -- to slip back into the playful banter she’s grown so accustomed to taking part in with him, like sliding on her favorite pair of shoes --  reliable & always the right fit. 

[harlowinters-blog]

[harlowinters-blog]

pls forgive me for hoarding my other replies. i’ve got the day off tomorrow so i plan on spamming them then. my muse has been kinda wonky bc of how wiped i’ve been from work so !!! 

[harlowinters-blog]

carterslades:

    he doesn’t owe her an explanation. they were miles away from being anything close to an item, yet he felt obligated to hop on a plane during one of the most important weeks of his career just to clear his name. “i was going to tell you the night before you left for new york, but you were upset about boots & stressing over fashion week. i don’t know, i guess i didn’t think it was a big deal — it’s not like we’re dating.”

    “when you texted earlier, i wanted to explain, but i have this thing about the cloud — really, ask jaron. shit gets leaked so easily these days, i couldn’t risk tmz finding out.” the backlash of something like his best friend’s sex tape happening to him could ruin his image in a second. at least jaron had the bad boy spin in his favor. carter, on the other hand? his entire career was built off this fragile, gilded facade. ”anyways, i really need this movie to be a hit. come on. if anyone can understand that, it’s you.”

“You’re right --- we’re not dating,” she answers, finally speaking after taking a moment to digest all that he’s said. Her voice is soft, less harsh than before. It seems that Harlow’s been rendered near speechless by his admission. She steps aside, finally allowing him to enter her luxe suite, closing the door behind him. 

She takes a good look at him, & by god, her heart starts racing. Whatever this is -- it’s something she doesn’t quite understand -- it’s important. “I get it,” she says, words falling out on a gentle sigh, “I don’t like it, but I get it.” Again, she’s at a loss for words, struggling to think of the perfect thing to sum up her feelings -- but she falls short. The fact that he’s flown across the country to see her finally clicks with her ( she realized it before, of course -- but she was mad -- now she can appreciate the gesture ) -- & her first smile of the night, a tiny ghost of one at least, takes form upon her lips. “I can’t believe you’re here.”

[harlowinters-blog]

carterslades:

    the ice cold commentary comes at no surprise to the actor, who had become fairly experienced at dealing with difficult women. “we both know you’re gonna cave eventually, so why don’t we skip the doorway banter — & potential risk of being photographed in a compromising position — & get to it?” pushing a disobedient lock of hair from his face, blue eyes burn with casual sincerity as he appraises the brunette. there’s an almost desperate tinge to his travel-worn features, but make no mistake — carter slade does not beg.

    “come on, winters. invite me in. i’ll watch you apply your overpriced mud mask & bore you to tears with the details of my new, exciting publicity relationship.” there. the ball was in her court now. she could choose to slam the door in his face once & for all, or hear him out. either way, he planned to grab a dozen new york bagels to go on his way back west, so this spontaneous venture of his was not for naught.

“How about you stop telling me what I’m going to do,” she retorts, venom dripping off her lips. WIth each passing moment her annoyance only increases. Try as she might to keep it hidden, Carter Slade broke her heart -- & being faced with the object of her misery wasn’t how she wanted to pass her night. 

“I’m sorry -- what ?” His words have her taking pause -- taking a moment to process the meaning behind them. So it’s all fake -- him & Veronica. But does it make it any better ? She’s not sure. There’s a part of her that’s relieved, of course -- but an even bigger part of her is still hurting. What did he think ? That showing up to play the knight in shining armor was just going to win back her favor ?  She’s got more self respect than that “That doesn’t change what I said, Carter. You should’ve fucking told me. I can’t do this.” 

[harlowinters-blog]

carterslades:

    it would have taken about three seconds to clear up their little misunderstanding, to tell harlow the relationship between veronica & himself was about as authentic as the one between their on-screen counterparts. he doesn’t know why he chose to keep this revelation to himself — stubbornness, probably, or perhaps he just enjoyed seeing the other so riled up at the idea of him with another girl.

    of course, once harlow took her silent treatment a bit too far, he was left with no choice but to arrange a face-to-face meeting. calling in advance would’ve been the polite thing to do, but the way he saw it, she was less likely to turn him away after he’d traveled two thousand miles to explain himself. besides, the look on her face when she opens the door was much too rewarding to deny. once she finally works up the composure to hurl a classic biting remark his way, carter knew this impromptu visit was a fantastic idea.

    “if i didn’t know any better, i’d say you’re not happy to see me,” he drawls, giving the actress a long once-over. the plush white robe hanging from her frame appeared lived in at this point — a far cry from the designer duds expected of someone sitting front row at fashion week. a bemused grin twitches at his lips as he peers past her shoulder & notes the mountains of silver cloches stacked throughout the hotel suite. was she having an illicit affair with one of the room service guys? “don’t tell me you have company.”

Of course Carter Slade can’t take off even a minute from being his smug, arrogant self -- not even when showing up uninvited at her ( hotel ) door. Instead, he acts as if he’s got a personal invite -- like his presence is desired ( it’s not, she tells herself, it’s really not ). The way he stood there, as if he belonged -- it irked her beyond understanding. 

“I’m not -- so leave.” Nothing if not blunt & to-the-point !! “I don’t want you here. You need to find somewhere else -- literally anywhere else -- to exist right now.” Harlow isn’t here for his games & amusements right now -- she’s TIRED. She doesn’t bother entertaining his next words, eyes rolling before she can stop the action. “Leave, Carter. I’ve got a busy day ahead of me & frankly I should be face-masking in bed to prep, not arguing with the human equivalent of a concrete wall.” 

[harlowinters-blog]

imessage → jaron

jaron: no offense, but i think i know carter a little better than you do.

jaron: you just know his dick better.

[ 10 PM: text read ]

[harlowinters-blog]

imessage → bestie

vanessa: no man is worth our time!

vanessa: i love u sm okay

harlow: i love you the most ever.

harlow: & i'm really lucky to have you as a friend.

[harlowinters-blog]

imessage → jaron

jaron: i can count the people carter genuinely cares about on one hand, it's not like it's a long list.

jaron: you're definitely on there.

harlow: if you saw the texts he sent me, you wouldn't be saying that.

[harlowinters-blog]

imessage → jaron

jaron: this is all really sudden. the veronica thing.

jaron: carter's... a lot. jumping into bed with him is definitely putting yourself at risk.

jaron: but i know... i know he cares about you.

harlow: yeah ... tell me about it.

harlow: i doubt that's true. honestly, i don't think he cares about anyone besides you.

[harlowinters-blog]

carterslades:

    it took a considerable amount of front desk bribery for ‘ordinary guy in baseball cap / definitely not carter slade’ to scam his way into getting the room number. only once he’s riding the elevator up to the top floor of new york city’s plaza hotel does it occur to him just how batshit crazy this plan is. not only could a poorly timed photograph throw his entire career into jeopardy, jetting across the country in the middle of the night was exactly the sort of manic stunt his therapist lived to use against him. carter doesn’t have the time to reflect on his life choices now — he has to see her.

    once he reaches the door to room 1802, he raps on the pane twice, rocking back & forth on his heels as he waits for harlow winters to appear. “room service,” the actor calls in an comically high-pitched voice, a throaty chuckle slipping through booze-soaked lips — he had a little too much complimentary champagne on the ride over. when the door swings open, he offers up a slow, casual grin, as if greeting jaron at home after a long day’s work. “i was in the neighborhood.” give or take a few thousand miles.

@harlowinters gets a starter.

The past few days had managed to turn Harlow into somewhat of a shell of herself. For reasons beyond her comprehension, the headline head ‘round the celebrity sphere had shaken her in a way that, frankly, was difficult to bounce back from. She wasn’t meant to have feelings for Carter Slade -- but somewhere along the way, she had developed a fondness for him. What was once annoyance turned into something far more genuine -- & to be burned by him in such a way, well -- it was a betrayal she couldn’t have possibly seen coming. 

Although during the day, Harlow’s still been attending to her fashion week duties, much to her management’s chagrin, she’s been skipping out on all the hottest parties. Instead, she stays in her hotel room -- orders way too much room service -- & wallows in her sadness . . . alone. TONIGHT IS NO DIFFERENT. Only -- her room service order had arrived only twenty minutes before -- & as far as she could tell, nothing was missing. 

Opening the door, she’s shocked with the sight she’s met with. Dumbfounded, even. Her mouth opens, then closes, then opens again. It seems she’s at a loss for words -- something that’ll probably make the other all too pleased with himself. “I thought you said room service -- not trash delivery,” she finally manages to say, biting back her sadness to let only the scorn shine through. She’s got a million questions she wants to ask him, but her facade remains tough -- even as her heart screams to let the ice melt. 

[harlowinters-blog]

hi friends finally home from my closing shift & i’m wiped. im gonna try to get stuff done though i double pinkie promise !!