riocantarella

[riocantarella]

"boss, hey, hey--i was just messin' around!" rio waves both her hands at the club owner, though, she knew she was only joking. andi had become somewhat close to a mother figure to rio as years of her stay at hidehill progressed, and she knew her life should've been harder right now, but andi has provided more than just money to make sure she has a roof over her head with her job, that's why she stuck around and is not planning to leave, as she is also pursuing her dream. "i honestly think it's where i'm goin' to end up, you know?"

"Ooh, and you're getting cozy with that being fired tightrope, sweetie," Andi only half-joked, though did so with a smirk and wink. She did have to admit though, perhaps the public kiss was a little reckless - with everything going on, did anyone want to enter something that held so much potential for pain. Nevertheless, she didn't regret it either. "Thank you," Andi took a sip, a hum of gratitude telling the other her job was safe - for now. She laughed at her statement, shaking her head a little. "Ah, I remember those days. Enjoy them while you can."

[riocantarella]

"i mean, you know i'm not much of a love person but--i'm glad to be one of the people who've witnessed it, ajay." rio always believed that love isn't much in the cards for her, and she doubts that it will change even now, she was happy though, to see ajay happy, with the person who makes him happy and in love, with the one he's going to spend the rest of his life with. "you two are so fucking in love, man...it's kind of contagious--well in a way, i'm not looking the same for me. i'm just glad to be here."

ajay smiled, moving to get comfortable beside his friend. "happy," he admitted, "but anxious." he picked at his sleeve as he gathered his thoughts. "i've been into kit since before meera was ever thought of. i really can't think of anyone else i would want to share my life with like that." meera loved kit like a parent too. he took a breath, smiling a bit goofily. "he looked beautiful walking down the aisle."

[riocantarella]

"oh--" before rio could even form a response, the woman already had her hand on her shoulder for support for her to be able to take her shoes, and upon instinct, the bartender wraps an arm around ela's waist for support, a lightly chuckle leaving her, amused at the way she sighed in comfort. "i'm not going to be a hypocrite and ask you why you had those shoes on in the first place, when...i've kind of done the same thing." she says as she glances down at the shoes she was wearing. "hold on." rio the realizes that the woman needed to sit down so she stands up and offers her chair to the other. "there we go, come on. sit. you...doing alright, babe?"

@riocantarella

"I know this is.. -- not trying to be rude, but could you just stand..." And although she hadn't received much of an answer yet, Ela placed her hand onto the woman's shoulder gently, twisting to pull her heels off one by one. "Right there," Both tossed to the side in quick succession as she stepped off of the dancefloor they'd installed and into the sand. The brunette sighed in quiet relief, eyes closing as her head tipped back and she laughed, "God, I've been dying to do that all night."

[riocantarella]

"it's not that, carmen. i wasn't--" rio didn't really know what to say, given how it's been so many years since she and carmen last talked, and how everything has just quickly ended. she only blamed herself though, for assuming that carmen also swung that way, or at least she also felt things the way that rio did--or perhaps, part of her still does. "i just didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable, like i did before--cross the line. i--" she figures it was time, better late than never for an apology, right? "i'm sorry, for what i did. for going out of line." it may be the alcohol in her system, but she knew she had to say something, eventually. "i...i tried to kiss you, carmen, i just assumed you're okay with it, that you're...i don't know. i'm just sorry, okay?"

It wasn't until Carmen saw the look on Rios face that her expression changed too. "I wasn't going to accuse you of trying to cause trouble." She looks away from the other, staring back out to the water like she had been before she noticed their presence. "I was trying to be friendly with you or whatever..." She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt embarrassed by her earlier comments. Regretting that she had spoken in their direction at all. "People are supposed to socialize at weddings or some shit, I didn't want to make it weird."

[riocantarella]

"you gettin' cozy and kissing like nobody's watching." rio shrugs in response, it may look like it was just a bit of teasing, but she does care about andi's happiness, given how she's one of the people in hidehill who took her in and made her feel like she was home and she wasn't alone. she's also the person she looked up to all these years, in awe of how andi is the woman that she is. "nah, just a friend. i'm not really expecting to do such thing tonight." she shrugs as she was preparing the drink, and sliding it over to andi. "depends, really, on how the night would end. i won't say no to any cute girl, you know?"

"And what are you seeing, Rio?" She rephrased the earlier question, tongue rolling over her bottom lip as the bar owner smirked. "Just the martini, thank you darling," she chuckled, leaning against the bar as the drink was made. "A friend, or a friend you want to take you home tonight?" Andi rose a brow. "It's a wedding, there will be plenty of people here tonight tryin' to make sure they won't be going home alone."

[riocantarella]

"i'm just talking about what i'm seeing, andi." rio raises both of her hands up in defense, though knowing she could tease her boss about a few things sometimes, including the thing she has noticed as of late. "so...you want both? talk about it and have a martini?" she wiggles her eyebrows at the club owner, before sliding the drink over to her. "a date? i mean i came with my friend, but that's all. depends if someone wants to take me home. i'm just enjoying the open bar and free food."

Andi's eyebrow raises when Rio starts asking her questions. She had a bit of a soft spot for the younger woman, taking her in at La Vela and getting her up to speed on the life of working in a club. So, she wasn't going to bite her head off for asking. "Is that what it looks like?" Her head tilted a little, smirk adorning her lips. "It's-- complicated, yet easy, certainly not a struggle," she chuckled before nodding. "I'll have a martini, darling. And what about you? Are you here with anyone tonight?"

[riocantarella]

[riocantarella]

all rio had focused on the whole time ever since the reception started was get on the drinks by the open bar--drinking and perhaps making some for herself. well, besides that, she had been getting snacks in between, the sliders alex mentioned, but that's been all. perhaps she has been tired of the atmosphere of it all, not that she hated it, but she wanted to take a breather so she finds herself tiptoeing away from the reception, a drink in hand and shoes held by the other, unaware that someone was already there, until she spoke. "ah shit." trouble forms in rio's expression and immediately looks away. "just need some air, not causing any kind of trouble or some shit." so many years they haven't talked and it's the first thing that comes out of rio's mouth.

@hidehillstart || open

Carmen was sat away from the reception, drink in her hand and toes in the sand while her shoes sat nearby. She was so tuned into the sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline that she didn't even realize someone else had walked up behind her, only turning to see them when they took a seat on the ground next to her. "Oh, hey." She gave them a friendly smile. "Don't miss the whole party over there just to give me a little company. Unless you needed a break from it too?"

[riocantarella]

location: ajay and kit's wedding open to: andi powers ( @theandipowers )

"what's going on with you and blondie, hmm?" rio asks as she sees her boss walking up to the bar, a smirk etched on her face as she stared at the older woman. "i mean, have all the fun you like, boss. but it looks like she's been making you struggle a little bit." she shrugs, propping on her elbow against the bar and resting her cheek against her palm, watching the said woman she's referring to talk to another attendee of the wedding. "but if you don't want to talk about it...what do you wanna drink?"

[riocantarella]

"hey, yeah, i'm having the best time, actually, even though i'm not a big fan of weddings, you got a great one, ajay." the only reason rio doesn't fancy these things is how in a way they remind her of the numerous events her and her family used to go to together--well, how her and her siblings were usually forced to. but she prefers not to dwell about them right now, especially when she's talking to one of the reasons they're celebrating in the first place. "it's always five o'clock somewhere, it's not too early for anything. but--how are you feeling? i mean, you must be on cloud nine, man."

@hidehillstart 𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗: his and kit's reception | fig beach

ajay was once pretty extroverted but within the last few years he really only spent time with a few people and his daughter. it was different to be around all these people as center of attention. he knew those who weren't there to celebrate his matrimony was there to get their hands on the open bar but still. he appreciated the town coming together to enjoy the day.

ajay held his wine glass in hand, walking to the bar to grab another drink. he looked over to the person beside him and gave a soft smile. "hey," he grabbed his new glass of wine and looked at the other. "having a good time? or is it too early?"

[riocantarella]

MIDORI FRANCIS as ALICIA  THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS Season Two, Episode Nine

[riocantarella]

date: n/a (unless...)

[riocantarella]

✦ MIDORI FRANCIS, CISFEMALE, SHE/HER ✦ RIO CANTARELLA the TWENTY EIGHT year old has been in Hidehill for TWELVE YEARS and was a STRANGER to Carter Thompson, one of the shadows. Whispers on the streets are that the SCULPTOR / BARTENDER AT LA VELA who lives in HADLEY PARK are said to be NURTURING and FLIRTATIOUS but I guess we’ll find out for ourselves.

FULL NAME: rio cantarella NICKNAMES: rio, rc AGE: 28 / January 13th, 1995 GENDER & PRONOUNS: cisfemale, she/her FACECLAIM: midori francis HEIGHT: 5’2” SEXUALITY: lesbian OCCUPATION: sculptor / bartender at la vela

rio cantarella, the youngest adoptive daughter of the cantarellas, the always the odd one out in her family, the black sheep, if that’s what you want to refer her as. both parents working white collar jobs, her siblings striving so t doing the same, and here she is, with a simple ambition. a passion which she found and fell in love with fifteen, sixteen years ago, which is sculpting. well, at first, it’s that kind of ambition which she’s mistaken as something that would be her hobby if she ever followed her parents’ footsteps, just as her siblings did. but that wasn’t the case. it turned more and more into something she wanted to do for the rest of her life, which at the start, she contemplated about telling her family. they’ve already given her enough hard time certain things that she isn’t comfortable to talk about yet with her age, the pressure of fitting herself into her family’s mold, plus making sure she follows the rules, the norm, as her older sibling would say, it was just enough for the teenager to do the unexpected one day.

though, all of this, all of her trying to bottle everything up, she ended up imploding at the dinner table one day after they all trashed people who leaned toward the arts as their way of leaving. she made a speech in which up to this day, she could not remember a thing she said. she then walked away, packed a bag, made sure she had enough money before her parents decide to cut her off and left that very night. it was the greatest moment of her life. ask her and she’ll tell you all about it.

she’s now at least a few states away from them, and for the past twelve years, she has been living in hidehill, working two jobs to be able to make a living and to support the very thing she’s passionate about. the money she’s earning isn’t as much as her family makes as a sculptor, compare it to her father alone, yet she’s happy, even though there will always be a hole in her chest since she left the cantarella mansion.

[riocantarella]

tag drop !