#• alethea pierce → INTERACTION 002 •

[magnolia-rhodes]

"I - I don't know," she concedes, mentally tallying up who she tinks could and could not be G. Coming up entirely blank. "If they are, they're good at hiding it." Lola just couldn't bring herself to see anyone as capable of doing what G had done - but what was worse? It being someone they know, or it being a total stranger? What was the most unsettling prospect? " When was the last time we went to a party just .. for fun? Was Ogden like this last year?"

that's where alethea was stuck, how much was greer actually involved in any of this? was this someone working on her behalf? someone with a grudge against her? greer herself? was it all happenstance - greer just wanted to disappear to get away and someone wants to fill the gap and torture them all. too many theories and thoughts that alethea never even spoke aloud. "there's always a party isn't there?" alethea huffed lowly. "the birthday party, the new years after party, the valentine's party..." she listed, g loved a party. or just loved the forced proximity of them all. "do you think it's someone we know? g?"

[novadodson]

For all the confidence Alethea seemed to have suddenly gained, it was apparent that most of it was a front. With a single compliment, that familiar blush was creeping back onto their skin just as easily as it always had — not that Nova was complaining, it was a sight that they relished in. "Indeed it does. I'm afraid I missed a very important part of the back-to-school e-mail. — In fact, I'm surprised they haven't kicked me out yet." It was fitting, he supposed; returning that year did feel a bit doom and gloom and the wardrobe choices that evening seemed to be a reflection of that. "Mm, considering me to be anything like most people would be your first mistake, baby." The last thing Nova cared about was arriving stag that evening, not concerned with what, who they had or hadn't showed up with, said about them in the eyes of others. "Did you come with a date seems a much more important question. Because if so, they're foolish for leaving you to your own devices." Foolish for leaving them unattended when it meant Nova could so easily take their hand and lead them away for the rest of the evening — an especially tempting thought given her next words, her understated discomfort. "Then why torment yourself with being here?"

her skin warms under nova's gaze, the blush easily creeping up their neck. another bold outfit choice, something that if their mother gets wind of alethea will certainly hear an earful about. but it's moments like this that they enjoy, thinking that it's worth it. "seems like black is the color of the moment." she comments, nodding to the crowd around them, many of the students dawning the color. "was just wondering." she shrugs, turning back to nova, though he's not wrong. "this is the sorta thing people don't like to do alone, or decide to debut their latest fling." she adds, with a small smile. "though, i've never really been a big fan of homecoming." this time the statement is softer, attention toward downward. each year it seems to get worse and now she's just waiting for the pen to drop.

[magnolia-rhodes]

"I... I don't know. Both? Either?" To Lola, who had never seen Greer in the flesh, it was hard to separate the two. If the golden girl reappeared tomorrow, she would forever be G in the back of her mind. G, Greer, G, Greer. In the lack of a face to put to the name of their anonymous enemy, she'd gone for the obvious route. Why wouldn't it be the person G was trying to impersonate? Occam's razor, right?

"You think there's a party?" She asks them, voice barely over a whisper. "I thought the dress up-bit was just part of the game. A weird form of humiliation we've yet to understand."

"like g left clues? or...greer left clues?" alethea tried to clarify, her skin warming as she thought through it all. "i don't really know what to think anymore." they admitted, arms crossing over their chest, teeth jutting out to chew on their bottom lip - it came to the idea of whether alethea could or should be truthful to lola. or to keep going along in ignorant bliss. "well...whatever it was...they do love to party." every part of this nightmare included a party, which felt very college movie of them all.

[magnolia-rhodes]

"She ... she was already gone by the time I started," she whispers, as though someone might overhear them in the empty library. As though this, not being in Greer's life, was a crime in need of defending.

Lola pauses. Thinks. If there's any common thread between the two, then Alethea must be hiding something too. Right? But it was hard to imagine what it could be - they'd always come across like an enigma. As something unknowable. "Do you think this is, like, a scavenger hunt? Sorry - poor wording. Do you think they left clues?"

lola never met her? the comment confused alethea, the look clear on her face. then why the hell would g be dragging lola into this, this whole time alethea assumed that it was all about greer. "you didn't know greer but then why..." they stop themselves before they could ask the question - then what was your text about? why was it a threat?

clearing their throat, she takes a moment and nods. "uh yea, like everything this year...it all revolves around her." like it always had, and now it feels like it always will. alethea was sure they could transfer schools and would still be haunted by her. "and whoever g is, they're just being cruel. to greer, to us." but they're right, that's the fucking problem. but alethea can't admit that, not anywhere. because then it would mean that they were in the wrong. "why do you think g wants us together right now?"

[magnolia-rhodes]

Lola nods. "The last place I'd go to a rave." She'd been thinking the exact same thing. The library was a strange place to meet in the evening at any rate, but for a rave? No. It didn't make sense. She clears her throat, taking in the form of the person in front of her. Not entirely sure what to say. There's a swarm of unanswered questions buzzing in her head, but she's not entirely sure Alethea can answer any of them. Unless they're G. Which, judging by the visible distress radiating off her, seems unlikely.

"Did you also .... " her voice falters for a second, not sure whether to ask or not. Not sure if she's even wanting to know the answer. "So, I assume you also ... got a text?"

there's a figure that seems to appear out of nowhere, blonde hair and alethea freezes. even her heart ceases to beat at the briefly thought that...but no. it's lola and she turns, calling out alethea's rarely used nickname only causing them to wince slightly, hopeful that the shadows of the library cover it.

there's really no way in trying to hide that it isn't weird for not only alethea to be there, but for the two of them to be. "lola?" they call back, stepping closer to her, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "uh..." this had to be a set-up some sort of trick by g. she thought back to that text from earlier. envy, ugliness, pretending. words that struck alethea to their core, words they built so much of themselves around, and words that they were terrified of being associated with them. "what...did..." her brain fails to find a formal question and instead she sighs, dropping the facade of pretending like this was normal. "the library is a weird place for us to be told to go right?" she had to make the jump, assume. no one else was here, and why else would lola be there dressed like that? this was all g.

[magnolia-rhodes]

Fucking Greer. How did it always come back to her? How was everything about her? How could someone who Lola had never laid eyes on play such a big role in her life? She nods tentatively in response, unsure how much to divulge. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't." I know you're not as sweet as you pretend to be. The words are like a lump in her throat, an itch somewhere she just can't reach. The longer she pretends not to feel affected, the worse it gets.

At their second question, Lola contemplates telling the truth. But she can't. Can't own up to it. So she shakes her head. "I never met her. I take it this means yours did mention her?"

the tension is palpable. a warning for the evening? they're a bit relieved that lola is seemingly startled by the evening and alethea's presence too, that they're not the only one internally freaking out about this. some others would stroll up oozing of relaxation and coolness, leaving alethea feeling even more like an outsider. she glances back to the blonde and offers a small smile. "uh...yea..." she nods, arms still crossed tightly over her chest.

her boot scuffs the ground, leaving a black streak on the white floor. "was it both like...an invitation and a threat?" was lola the same as her? or did the text tell lola about alethea? or were they both threatened by the secrets they hold? "was it...about greer?" she adds softly, probing at the possibilities.

[novadodson]

It's no surprise to find Nova relaxing with their hips against the bar, a drink in hand while they watch the crowd around them, awaiting the moment something or someone calls for their attention. Surprisingly, it's being delivered to him, Alethea floating into view and then into his space, practically glowing. It draws a smile onto Nova's features, allowing their eyes to mimic Alethea's own, to drift over the expanse of their frame before lifting back to her face. "Speak for yourself. The leg slit was an excellent choice." Practically beckoning him to reach out and touch her soft skin, but he refrained. "Why are you asking? Curious about who I'm taking home tonight?"

@novadodson when: arriving at the hoco gala where: just inside

in usual fashion, if alethea wasn't hanging around on the outskirts of the party as a wallflower, she was looking for someone to cling to. and just as they stepped through the doors, eyes bewildered looking around, they were lucky enough to spot nova just on the other side of a couple. with a bright smile they made their way over to him, stopping just short of reaching for him. "hey." they breathed for a second, looking them up and down, hoping they weren't crossing a line. the two were friends now right? and friends could hang out for an evening. "first, you look hot." which was true, "second, did you come with a date, or are you going stag this year?"