palomvs

[palomvs]

     had valentina known that a vast amount of her time at nyu would be spent ignoring rumors about the donations used to secure her spot , she would’ve hit ‘ accept ’ on brown’s offer of admission. the whole ordeal is EXHAUSTING , to say the least. no , her parents don’t own half of central park south and no , her godfather isn’t warren buffett ( two rumors she’s had to refute more than once this week alone ). she’s desperate for someone — anyone — to recognize that she too has potential , drive and is just as smart as the students that populate her classes. so much so that she can’t help the loud sigh that escapes her as she stares into the VOID that are her political theory notes. a caffeine boost is needed , stat. / ( & @hcrveys​ ! )

[palomvs]

     to say paloma’s thankful for payton’s presence amongst the village’s cast is a vast understatement. with roots spanning all the way back to their shared hometown ( and shared acting camp ! ) , their friendship is one the girl TREASURES , and which has undoubtedly kept her sane these past few months. so much so , that there’s no one she would rather debrief her icy run-through with harvey.  ❝ look , i don’t want to be the bearer of bad news , pay , but the producers just made me run lines with harvey and i kind of killed it as harper. so , you know , don’t be surprised if you get a call saying i’ll be SNATCHING your spot sometime soon ! ❞ she jokes , legs swinging casually from the side of the other’s armchair. / ( & @pcytons​ ! )

[palomvs]

ZOEY ( NAOMI ) !

To Zoey, life came to be one, big competition with enemies lurking from both sides. On top of good ‘ol sibling rivalry, she had to deal with her academic arch-nemesis Valentina Romero as well. Sure, the girl was smart enough—not that Zoey would admit it—but she was insanely rich, too. This meant holding an unfair advantage over Zoey as she did not grow up with the same privileges as Valentina, privileges gained only from her family connections. And Zoey would not stand for such a corrupt system that bred nepotism—no, she swore to break it. Once and for all. “Sounds to me like you’re going to ask your father to pull some strings for you, Val. Well, let me give you a reality check.” Zoey leveled her gaze to Valentina’s, lips curving into an icy smile. “He has no power here, and neither do you. Especially you. So, you can take your ‘Easters on the White House’ and shove it up your privileged ass. Because if there’s one thing I claimed from the very start, it’s victory.” Courtesy be damned, she brushed past Valentina to get her daily dose of yoghurt, blasé as she went. “Victory is my birthright. And it’s never something handed to me on a silver platter. Not like you.” Zoey took great pride in the fact that everything she had, she built for herself. And to her, their ‘contests’ were anything but. Truth be told, whatever she gained from these were her only means of establishing her name in society—a name that conquered an underprivileged standing most saw as weakness. “Save your tears for daddy dearest, Val. Oh and maybe if you cry hard enough, he’ll treat you to the White House on your birthday.”

     if there’s one thing that valentina has always despised , it’s others’ judgement. and , over the years , many have taken her appearance and pedigree as a sign that they have CARTE BLANCHE to make remarks on her upbringing , intellect , and interests ( to name a few ). but , valentina romero is far from the blonde , overprivileged barbie those around her have made her out to be. something she’s determined to have those in her midst understand.  ❝ ask my dad for — zoey , did you fall and hit your head on the side of the pavement this morning ? why in the world would i ask my dad for help ? you think CONGRESSMEN help their daughters win school elections ? this isn’t some bad rerun of the third season of gossip girl , ❞ she scoffs , attempting as best she can to hold back laughter at the other’s quick fuse , ❝ and besides , as i said , my whole family’s in politics and one of my two majors is poli sci. i’m pretty sure i can handle lacing up my big girl shoes by myself. ❞ before she has time to turn back to the refrigerated counter , zoey’s hand zooms past ( dangerously close to valentina’s face , one might add ) , snatching away the last yoghurt ( a situation quickly fixed by a smile to the closest cafeteria worker , whom valentina has made a point to greet daily ). ❝ listen i’m sure this whole ‘ she only got where she is because of her silver spoon ’ SELF-PITY thing helps you sleep at night , but i got into nyu because my gpa , essay and recommendations were stellar , not because my parents made a call or a donation. there’s no romero building or statue on campus , ❞ she corrects , hand extending towards the aforementioned cafeteria worker , shaking her own yoghurt ceremoniously. it takes a lot ( namely , her father’s voice repeating quotes about taking the high road in the back of her mind ) for her to bite her tongue , and avoid a low blow about their high school days. but , of course , the conflict does not stop there. zoey has to have the last word , as always. something valentina is usually HAPPY to give her — just not today. ❝ i’m hispanic , zoey. i wouldn’t be caught dead at the white house during a trump presidency. if that’s your idea of fun , then maybe you should update your social to reflect your FASCIST tendencies. i’m sure that’ll score you a much-needed endorsement from the nyu college republicans ! ❞ 

[palomvs]

📱 imessage ⇢ paloma & harvey.

harvey : spare me the lecture, lola

harvey : tmz's so up it's own ass i could cure cancer and all they'd care about is who i was fucking

harvey : once the village hits #1 and you're being followed by every goddamned person on earth they'll find something

harvey : hmm yeah the fact that he has TWO people pining over him. real problem.

paloma : there's also a fair share of really great articles about you and your acting all over vanity fair and gq and teen vogue

paloma : so maybe stop focusing on the negative (and tmz's troy bolton) and realize that there are also great things out there

paloma : which is exactly what i plan on doing when tmz tells me i grew up to be ugly and talentless or brings up the fact that i once stared at a man so he must be the father of my secret hidden children

paloma : dig deeper i'm sure he has something else going on

paloma : like maybe a really gross big toe that he was bullied for in elementary school

[palomvs]

📱 imessage ⇢ paloma & harvey.

harvey : don't act like you don't take low blows at me too

harvey : exhibit a ^^, thank u for making my point easier to make.

harvey : how about YOU try to live a life when most people's perceptions of you are first of all, degrading, second of all, completely false

harvey : kid's got like no problems, of fucking course he doesn't complain

paloma : ok well you make it too easy

paloma : tmz doesn't have anything degrading or false to report on me because i don't give them material :)

paloma : and i'm sure matti james has at least ONE problem

paloma : if not maybe you should do some character work

[palomvs]

📱 imessage ⇢ paloma & harvey.

harvey: it may come as a surprise lola, but i actually do have friends

harvey: besides who better to come to when i'm looking for brutal honesty than the wicked witch herself!

paloma : i don't know why you keep acting like i'm the evil scum between your toes

paloma : i'm very nice you just can't see/hear it over the sight/sound of you crying out about being the least fortunate person in the world

paloma : pretty sure matti doesn't complain as much as you do

[palomvs]

𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐌𝐀 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐋 + instagram ( part 2 ) !   ( au in which @hcrveys and paloma are still friends ! )

[palomvs]

📱 imessage ⇢ paloma & harvey.

harvey: am i really nothing like "literal ray of sunshine" matti ?

harvey: who the fuck is this troy bolton dude anyway? if u have something to say, don't fucking hide behind a high school musical character. jesus

paloma : are you asking me because everyone else in your contacts avoided giving you a really answer?

[palomvs]

[palomvs]

BROOKS ( JUDE ) !

@palomvs​ ( as valentina ) !

     HE RECOGNIZES HER from orientation. it was a brief hello that they shared, and brooks would be lying if he said he didn’t notice that little sparkle in her eyes when she first saw him. it’s something he’s accustomed to, something he keeps track of like it’s a tab in a filing cabinet. plus, it helps that she’s stunning, and where’s the harm in using a little leverage to get to know someone? “valentina, right?” his voice is a loud whisper as he sets his books — two philosophy textbooks— down in front of the blonde in the library. it’s like choreography, the way he swoops in and sits down across from her and flashes her a smile. “sorry,” he apologizes after realizing he’s clearly interrupting her work. “i’ll be quick. listen…” he lowers his head and looks around his surroundings before his eyes narrow in on valentina. “i’m thinking of throwing a party at mine tomorrow night.” he gives a shrug, playing it off coy. “it’d be cool if you came. no theme or any of that fraternity bullshit.” he grins at her and drums his fingers on his textbook. “and feel free to invite your friends. just…” he pauses and wrinkles his nose. “how do i put this? i didn’t necessarily sell my roommate on the idea, so…”

     brooks’ face was one of the few that stood out in the sea of over-eager , lanyard-wearing freshmen at orientation. the two didn’t exchange more than a few words , the sheer amount of activities and information sessions far too NUMEROUS to give them more time to interact , so valentina hoped a run-in would occur eventually. and , what better time than amidst her boredom over her reading in the bobst library ? her surroundings are quiet enough for her to hear his voice over the sounds of turned pages and laptop keyboards , and she can’t help but let a smile subtly TUG at the corners of her lips when she hears him whisper out her name. she’s , of course , careful to erase it and replace it with a focused look as he comes up behind her. this cat and mouse game between the two of them can’t be too easy. that’s how she’ll keep him hooked long enough. ❝ you know , ❞ she begins , her voice barely a WHISPER as she attempts to abide to the library’s rules , ❝ that ‘ fraternity bullshit ’ is usually pretty fun , and they do have a lot more space to play with , if you’re planning to host your party in your dorm room. so , special amenities are you offering ? aside from a potentially angered roommate. ❞

[palomvs]

HARVEY !

                      THERE’S A FRAMED PHOTO OF him and paloma that his mother just loves to bring up at dinner parties, at events hosted at their family mansion outside los angeles, a place that paloma is no stranger to. it features her and harvey, depicted when they were four, maybe five years old, holding hands as they skip down the santa monica pier, eyes glistening as the both of them drool after cotton candy and other colorful things. how naive he was then, desiring only the most SHALLOW and short-lived goods, not worrying about if paparazzi would catch him at a compromising moment. he doesn’t quite remember how they even got along, given that every conversation with her these days feels like a verbal sparring match. “ well, maybe instead of focusing on FORCING us to get along, they could redirect their efforts into producing a better show, ” he responds snidely. honestly — he doesn’t believe his parents even encouraged him to date her: it goes to show how LITTLE they knew about their son, how he hadn’t had a civil conversation with paloma since they were twelve. “ sounds about right — if you do get around to getting that printed on a greeting card, mind sending one to my parents ? they still can’t get it fucking ENGRAINED in their brains that we don’t hang out, let alone have potential to DATE. jesus, the way my mother talks about you makes it sound like you were born in fucking holy water or something. ” he rolls his eyes. “ might i remind you, paloma, that YOU were the one who dragged ME into that interview, okay ? i’ll mind my business if you don’t drag me into yours, how does that sound ? ” 

upbeat. just another thing that harvey kieran strathmore isn’t. “ yeah, ” he admits with a nod. “ a goddamned ray of sunshine, i don’t know how he does it. ” but boy — would he like to know. if he had the energy and PATIENCE, he would try and be nicer: but unfortunately, there have been a few more people who have taken advantage of harvey’s name, fame, wealth — you name it, for authenticity and kindness to be his default configuration. “ yeah, like he’s GUILTING her into it, but he thinks she’ll have a good time, too. kind of feel bad for her — harper, i mean. matti’s fucking clueless, but i guess it is only like, the second episode. gotta be some tension there, huh ? ” he says, scribbling notes in his script, hopping up from his chair, adding physicality to his next attempt. “ you’ll come, right ? ” cue a flirtatious, slightly scheming smile. “ i really don’t want to show up alone. ” a feigned sense of light desperation, an expertly placed exhale, an anguished gulp. all tiny TICKS that each and every one of his critics hammered into his mind. “ better ? ” he scratches his head. “ you um … can you read harper’s lines ? ” he’s not particularly used to ASKING people for things, especially paloma.

     the laughter the two used to share is close enough for paloma to retain strong , vivid memories of it. with the number of shared imaginary friends , inside jokes and common experiences the two shared at a young age , it was impossible for anyone to foresee how FRACTURED their relationship would become. paloma can still feel the whiplash of going from inseparable childhood friends , to each other’s emotional kryptonite. ❝ maybe instead of telling me , you should talk to the producers directly. or — i don’t know — write them a strongly worded email , if you think your natural dramatics might be off-putting , ❞ she sighs , already feeling herself grow tired of harvey’s cynicism , a trait that undoubtedly pushed her further away as they forged individual paths. as the HAPPY-GO-LUCKY boy faded away ( through his parents’ actions ) , less and less of their friendship seemed remotely salvageable. a fact neither of their families ever seemed to notice , or allow themselves to internalize and understand. though , paloma’s family has always been less pushy about the two of them getting along. ❝ when that card’s printed and ready to be sent out , i’ll be sure use my best calligraphy to let them know that usually , my type’s a little less HARRY BINGHAM and a little more grizz visser. or , in terms they can understand , a little less harvey strathmore , and a little more matti james. at the end of the day , the constant ‘ woe is me ’ act really doesn’t do it for me , ❞ she quips , unable to hold back yet another another sigh , ❝ as for the interview , trust me , i much rather would’ve called over anyone else to help save me from another set of HYPER-PERSONAL questions , but sadly you were the only one close enough for me to grab. it’s a mistake i won’t be making again anytime soon. ❞

     she throws a final eye roll harvey’s way , before both settle back into their assignment , their professionalism taking the reins. her head nods ( absent-mindedly ) as harvey runs through his characterization of harvey , trying to get her own hold on HARPER HAYES. as with valentina , paloma finds herself underlining , circling , scribbling in the margins and empty blank spaces of her script , every instinct and thought inspired by the writers’ own words jotted down before she can forget. this is her process , an intimate routine she almost feels harvey is an INTRUDER to , his presence made more obvious as he gets up from his chair. with a final look at her notes , she mirrors his actions , getting up and standing as close as two friendly co-workers would ( which is far closer than she and harvey have , at least since they were twelve ). ❝ it’s not really my scene , ❞ she shrugs , feigned disinterest coloring her words , taking on harper’s character with an ease even she’s impressed by , ❝ plus , i wasn’t exactly invited. ❞ the push and pull of her motivations is all too clear : on one hand , there’s the large crowd of potentially intoxicated strangers but , on the other , there’s her cute co-worker , with whom she’s been DYING to spend time with outside of work. the tension is bizarrely well-suited for the current situation. on one hand , harvey and paloma can barely seem to achieve civility , but , on the other , the characters they take on in the blink of an eye and their COMPLICITY take paloma back to something nostalgically familiar.

[palomvs]

     this routine has gone on since high school. wherever zoey is and whatever she tries , everyone can count on valentina to appear and attempt to outdo. competition , at times , seems like too WEAK of a word. for valentina , this feud is a means to show those around her that she’s far more than just a pretty face. she’s inherited brains from both of her parents , and the political connections they surround themselves with , and isn’t afraid to make it known. and now that she’s got new ground to break , with her arrival at nyu , the opportunity to become an elected official ( a public figure , if you will ) seems picture perfect. the fact that it may potentially be another spanner in zoey’s works is ICING on the cake. ❝ i don’t want to sound stereotypical here , but my dad’s a five-time incumbent and i’ve spent more easters on the white house lawn than most people my age. politics are kind of my BIRTHRIGHT , zo , ❞ she shrugs , offering the other a faux polite smile as the two reach for the same ( dairy-free ) drinkable yoghurt , ❝  ultimately , politicians and democracy don’t do well without some form of competition , but i don’t want to see you get hurt when this all comes to an end , you know ? ❞ / ( & @xoahnaomi​ ! )

[palomvs]

FRANCESCA !

FRANKIE: plot twist of the century, everybody loves it, we win a million emmys and are hollywood’s new favorite couple, i really don’t see any problem w this

FRANKIE: why am i suddenly thinking of the tiktok audio

FRANKIE: omg … lets make tiktoks tonight

PALOMA : your move producers !!!  PALOMA : ok BUT only if we can trick atlas into doing a fake tik tok challenge with us again PALOMA : i rewatched the last one we did and honestly almost peed

[palomvs]

PHILLIP ( GABE ) !

     of course he’d been listening to their professor but he was PARANOID. the party talking was getting irritating and he didn’t want looming over his head. it was starting to piss him off. listening to maneuver around his reasonable questions only added fuel to that fire. a soft glare circled the room to the quiet femmes “  my fault. “  for moment he was quick to flip back to his work but it didn’t last very long. it was a strange situation he put her in of course he didn’t know all the ins and out of her relationship with his roommate but he’d heard of valentina before. it was probably better to try and get her on his side. drumming his fingers against the soft metal of his laptop. he need to be sure, because if he wasn’t he’d be suck with the shittiest first day ever. “ are you going? the party i mean.”

     relief washes over her as suspicion drifts away from her , and towards the two giggling girls in the back of their lecture , matching colored pens in hand. she’s finally free to resume GLEANING the basic structure of the class from her syllabus. that is , until phillip turns back around , eliciting a ( forced ) polite smile. though innocuous , his question is proof the party is still very much top of mind for him , meaning she’s going to have to throw him even further off the scent. ❝ the sig ep one ? probably not. i might end up in a frat basement at some point , but not my first week. i’m more of a ‘ dip your toe in ’ than a ‘ dive head first ’ kind of girl. i’m sure there’s a more laid back option. like a nice sorority mixer , or something , ❞ she lies ( with ease ) , knowing full well that she’ll need time to come up with some sort of EXCUSE once the two of them run into each other again later. a bridge she’ll cross when she comes to it.

[palomvs]

JUDE !

     JUDE FURROWS HIS brows at paloma’s remark, tapping his coffee cup to his chin while he ponders. “the fuck’s a fan cam?” he finally inquires, voice low as to not draw too much attention to them. he shakes his head and makes a slightly sour face at paloma’s other comment. “listen, the only person i care about falling head over heels for brooks is miss valentina.” an ever-present, mischievous smile lingers on jude’s features as he speaks, almost desperate to make the girl smile. “speaking of–” jude pushes himself away from the counter and turns back to paloma, eyeing up her drink. “if you’re ready, i say we take a walk and figure out what this shit head brooks would do in a feeble attempt to win a girl over. not that i reckon it takes much.” he brings his cup to his lips as he heads to the door. “lucky bastard.”

     she sighs , an amused eye roll in tow , ❝ well , grandpa , similarly to the kiss cam at a sports event , a fan cam is a camera operated by a fan. it’s all in the name ! ❞ her eyes dart towards the fan in question , who seems too entranced by the screen of her phone ( and the fact that it now contains a MULTITUDE of pictures of her two new favorite actors ) to notice that she’s being stared at and talked about. ❝ in that case , i’ll talk to miss valentina and see if she’s interested. probably not , but it’s worth a try , right ? ❞ she shrugs , adjusting the embossed cardboard sleeve of her drink ( should she have gotten a second latte for the road ? ) ❝ careful jude , you’re starting to sound JEALOUS. of a fictional dreamboat , i might add , ❞ she teases , a grin tugging at the corners of her lips , as she brushes past him and out the door. to any onlooker , their exchange might appear playful — FLIRTATIOUS , almost — but , to the two actors , this back-and-forth is merely evidence of their innate chemistry. something the casting directors were clearly quick to pick up. something that continues to make jude a perfect acting partner.

[palomvs]

PHILLIP ( GABE ) !

the last thing he wanted to do was to deal with all the people that would be swarming into his personal space. growing up with 4 siblings they were basically on top of each other he craved freedom and PRIVACY. sure he was the man of the hour wherever he went in his city, but at the end of the day he wanted alone time. “ yes, you’re the one talking, so yea i’m asking you. “ shifting in his seat to face the blonde, now she had his full attention. with a pre practice work out and then practice in the morning phillip was wholly loathe the idea of a party tonight, but it seemed his roommate found a way to completely ignore his wishes like normal. “ what party are you talking about? ”

     if looks could kill , the one valentina’s readying herself to give to the two sorority girls in the back of the seminar would far more. she’s sworn to herself to protect brooks as much as humanly possible ( tipping his roommate off would be a strike against her , and a win for zoey which she’s desperate to avoid ) , but this situation is starting to feel DICEY at best. ❝ actually , gabriel , i was listening to our professor. maybe address tweedledee and tweedledum back there if you have a question ? since they were the ones gabbing at full volume , ❞ she quips , head cocked towards the culprits of her blown cover , who have suddenly and conveniently chosen to be silent. but , if valentina’s father has given her anything , it’s great hair and an ability to lie through her teeth. she’s a politician’s dream child. ❝ what am i , your personal assistant ? all i was told about was the party sig ep’s throwing  tonight. which makes sense , since rush is coming up , and they have to keep their status fresh on campus. people are probably BUZZING about that , so turn around , focus your eyes back on that whiteboard and take a deep breath. you’re going to be just fine. ❞ in retrospect , some of the subtle animosity in her voice is likely due to guilt but , if asked , she’ll deny it until she’s blue in the face.

[palomvs]

the  village  cast make fun of each other a saga (  1 / ?  )

gabriel  &  paloma .