#alexandra rossessen

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alternative fcs for alexandra?

You can find alternative suggestions in her tag, as well as in her resource post. If you wish for more options, there would be Willa Fitzgerald, Zendaya Coleman, Taylor Momsen, Lucy Hale or Keke Palmer with a similar attitude.

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ALEXANDRA ROSSESSEN  | |  the gossip

❝My girlhood was the rot that comes from candy      lollipops stuck to pavement    chapstick that started on someone else's lips.❞

        She doesn’t hide behind her almost boyish childishness, hungry for the attention she never got before, but that rightfully belongs to her now. Out of her depth, even for somebody of her caliber and intelligence, she doesn’t know how to outgrow her ponytails and the little high-school-esque dramatics, and stand tall in line with the other adults. For the fact that she arrived to the university years too early, surrounded by less green than she was used to, she had to skip stages of her life, tripping over her feet in the run to keep up and locked at seventeen, turning herself almost incapable of maturing. As she turned the university into her playground and carved her name into every tree with a boldness she got out of nowhere, she grew claws and fangs and rather than complying to the standard, she brought high-school with her through a gossip blog supposedly run anonymously. 

                             BIOGRAPHY  | TAG  | PROMPTS

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CONGRATULATIONS, MADZ!

You have been accepted to play the role of ALEXANDRA ROSSESSEN with the faceclaim of SOPHIE TURNER. Please create your account and send it to the main in the next 24 hours. What we loved about your application is the amount of information you managed to send through the para sample and the masterful subject you chose to approach, which was what ultimately convinced us that you are not only suited, but a great match to play Alex. we can’t wait to see her fickleness, her childish behavior and everything else you have hinted in this application, for I am sure it is going to be quite a show. You showed us bits of this character that we didn’t know existed, but loved straightaway. No more blabber, we are excited to see the Quarrel Club completed in such a manner!

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

Name and pronouns: Madz Age: 20 Time-zone: EST Activity level: I’m currently taking my finals, but by the time you’re accepting applications they should be about over, which gives me pretty much all the time in the summer until I get a job, which hopefully will only knock my activity to about a 7. Triggers: N/A

IN CHARACTER INFORMATION

Desired character: Alexandra Rossessen

Gender and pronouns of the character:   Female / She/Her Changes: N/A Traits:

Imaginative: Wherever her thoughts take her, her heart is sure to follow. Her mind racing constantly, many have confused her perpetual daydreaming state for absent-mindedness, but that’s far from being the case. Many times throughout meetings Alexandra has had to be snapped out from her current thoughts, though she can’t help but find herself falling right back into them the moment her attention is lost.

Inquisitive: Her knack for learning has always been something Alexandra has held on to throughout her life, whether it was learning a new equation or learning the latest in celebrity gossip. She loves asking questions and learning new things, especially in a social aspect.

Immature: For as hard as she tries to appear to be a fully-developed woman, Alexandra cannot help but fall to the ways of her age, finding herself rather childish in a sea full of mature adults. This doesn’t help with her tireless need to spread gossip, as her immaturity keeps her from

Irritable: Though she does her best to get close to those around her, Alexandra can’t help but be irritated by the presence of many of the people on campus. She’s young, and she’s surrounded by those who she can’t relate to, and she has no interest either. The things the people around her do and say, especially when they speak down to her because of her age infuriates her to no end.

Impersonal: Alexandra has little connections within Oxford, which she doesn’t mind, especially when it comes to her gossip blog. Anything she posts up there she has confidence in, and she feels no ounce of regret when she posts her blasts.

Extras: I feel as if Alexandra would choose creative writing as her major for college, as she already has a knack for writing because of her blog and her child-like imagination and nature. Her ability to come up with stories is something many have found to be her gift, one that she may or may not use for evil. But no one can say that she has no talent for it, because if they’ve heard any of the outlandish stories she tells, they’d know they were wrong.

PARA SAMPLE

Her lips crept from the straight line they’d been resting in throughout the meeting when her ears were met with the harsh sound of the gavel hitting it’s respective landing place, signifying that the current meeting of the Quarrel Club had drawn to a close. Instantly, though she tried her best to keep them from wandering so far, her eyes landed on Victoria, the only other member of the club in which she felt a certain closeness. Lifting a brow, she tilted her head in the direction of the door as she began to stand, hoping that Victoria would understand what this meant.

The walk from their meeting place to her dormitory had never been one she fancied going alone, though Alexandra never quite found the company of just herself satisfactory, always trying to fill her fleeting moments with as much company as she could, her incessant craving for attention bringing about all sorts of company she would sooner or later drive off with her outlandish tales. But not the Quarrel girls, they seemed to keep her around despite getting fed up time after time from her stories, which she appreciates wholeheartedly but hopes deep down that it lasts. For her childish nature had always been something she felt comfortable with, finding proper adult life rather boring and monotonous, but fitting in with these women was the best thing she had going for her these days, for she had no friends back home to run to, and if she lost them it would be the icing on top of her lonely cake.

Meeting Victoria at the edge of the table, she swiftly linked her arm within the brunette’s and kept the weight of it rather light, not wanting to put too much pressure on the girl who seemed to take on more than she could imagine. Leaning in a bit as they walked, the corner of Alexandra’s lips twitched as she felt a smile creep onto them, a telltale sign that her mind had begun to churn out yet another story. Victoria was one of the few people in which Alexandra felt compelled to be truthful with, their long nights swapping stories back and forth solidifying their friendship made Alexandra wonder what could happen if she kept the truth on the forefront of her mind. But nothing good lasts forever, and Alexandra’s need to falsify the truth at every moment overtook her, even when she wished it hadn’t.

“Quite a meeting, huh?” Alexandra looked at Victoria with eager eyes, hoping that she would take the invitation for casual conversation that would allow her to work up a good story. “I mean, after what Gwendolyn did last night in Hampshire… I’m shocked she was even able to make it back to Oxford on time, given the fact that she woke up in someone else’s bed and all. Honestly, Victoria, I’m surprised we were even called out today seeing how the bags under her eyes were heavier and darker than the secrets she’s going to have to carry around now.” With this, a small laugh burst from her throat and she had to cover her mouth, Gwen still being in close range as they exited the building. It was refreshing, to say the least, to be in the company of such fine women and have them accept her (or at least seem to), and it tugged at her mind constantly that she could ruin the good thing she had with them from one minor slip up or one rumor gone too far. Alexandra knew the risks, however, and came to the realization that it was a chance she was going to have to take, her intelligence and ability to act more mature than she truly was being enough to keep them around.

Letting out a soft sigh, Alexandra unlinked her arm from Victoria’s, instantly craving the soothing touch of her friends’ skin, but Alexandra knew there was a limit to everything good, though if she were to have her way there wouldn’t be. Skipping along next to the duchess, the stark difference between the two could be seen immediately, though she wasn’t one to try and hide it. Reaching her arms out into the air, she moved her fingers against the cool air that had begun to blow, and she found herself twirling around, hair flying around her  as she did so. Victoria let out a small laugh as she watched Alexandra let herself go, the business casual clothing she wore seemed all the more inappropriate on the young woman whose heart was anything but business and casual. It was a sound Alexandra came to love hearing, knowing that whatever she was doing or had done was enough to make her smile, and that was all she hoped for. Charming people was something that drove Alexandra to her core, wanting their attention and acceptance, though the two didn’t always work together in conjunction.

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❝ My girlhood was the rot that comes from candy       lollipops stuck to pavement   chapstick that started on someone else's lips.❞

Alexandra Rossessen | seventeen (I) | The Quarrel Club | Sophie Turner | open

Alexandra's mind splits in two: on one hand, she has the brain of a genius, spinning like a golden clockwork that never breathes, never stops, never gets to experience exhaustion; on the other hand, completely electrocuted pink glue with an intense hunger for all that's childish and dramatic. Although she can never pay attention to the same thing for long, due to her attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, there are two wide subjects that challenge and engage her: science and uncredited rumors — and nothing short on that. A contradiction, a series of paradoxes and lies, she was thrown into a situation only maturity would know how to carry, being sent two years early to university — a prodigy crown she never asked for, but would wear proudly, chin up and enthusiasm spread all across her ruby red lips. Due to skipping so many steps in the process of her own maturity, she froze in an early state, mind brilliant, but still green and unprepared despite that. Being treated as an adult since turning sixteen, she never had the occasion to grow up, staying fresh, but so infantile and obnoxious. Through her previous teachers' constant praising and pride in her, she bloomed with arrogance and the idea that everything she could ever say is interesting and worth listening to is carved so deeply in the back of her head that she chooses to never shut up and turn insufferable, grinning when called so, because, to Alexandra, everything is a joke, a game, a fairy tale. She was bored, even in Oxford, when she created the gossip blog that brought her more fame than the fact that she was underage and on campus as a student already. Although nowhere did it state that she was the one behind the pseudonym Ace, from the caustic manner of the articles and the natural snark in the language used, as well as the general interest in what the others are doing has a high-schoolesque vibe that only Alexandra could have brought with her to the well-respected and prestigious university. Yet, childish or not, everybody fell for the blog and they are all hooked on reading the writings and silly opinions of a teenager, allegedly. How could they not, when she is so spirited and knows exactly how to phase a sentence so it would cut and make them bleed, even though she is the youngest at the moment? There is something addicting to the concept and, with them all being self-centered people who did, in fact, care about what the echoes said about their personality, it was a recipe that granted success. Regarding the rumors of her being behind the keyboard, orchestrating the whispers and adding fuel to the fire most times, she neither denies nor confirms it, flashing her eyebrows playfully or perhaps shrugging on some days, but everybody knows it, and her vagueness has nothing to do with secrecy rather than wanting to keep them on their toes. The genius child has always lived in the perfect scenery, with a house with a pool, friends enough to fill her large backyard — at least until she lost all of them, two somewhat decent parents who somewhat cared and everything she could ever ask for already waiting for her home by the time she thought to ask for it — but it all left her empty, so she started lying. The habit formed at around twelve years old and it implied making up the most ridiculous possible stories and beleiving in them with such fire that they became her truth she would convince almost anybody of. She earns nothing from it other than pure pleasure watching their credulous, gullible faces get tricked, but it is easily worth the trouble. Frankly, she doesn't even know how to converse with people if it doesn't involve a little white lie about how the headmaster is her uncle or how the queen once shook her hand and predicted that she would become a big Hollywood star. Her only social skill is lying, but she does it with such charm and interest that it captivates people and keeps them interested, no matter if they have guessed the false nature of everything coming out of her mind or not. Being part of the Quarrel Club is an honor she didn't expect and, regardless of her attempts trying to be casual about being paired with Oxford's top women — all tall, beautiful, intelligent, mature and eye-catching — she is completely flattered and confused about her implications in the group. Despite her playful nature, she spares the girls the act most times during official meetings, wanting to be serious too and wanting to belong, as, back home, she used to be all alone, with no friends to lean her head against the shoulders of. Because of her intelligence and wit, all the children found it easy to make jokes and laugh behind her back and in front of her, causing Alexandra to close off and grow derisive, mean skin as protection. Yet, Oxford is the time for new beginnings, and nothing of the old Alex Rossessen remained when she made up Ace — funny, effervescent, radiant and charming in such an unique way it blinded.

Arabella Windsor Arabella doesn’t have much respect for the younger girl, but she has to give her credits for the amount of gossip she manages to snatch and her dedication to share it with such meticulousness. As a person who has always enjoyed the whispers and rumor spreading, Arabella is grateful that there are people sharing her passion and Alexandra doesn’t mind her company. Frankly, she would be more than happy to discuss trivial topics such as other people and what the word goes with anybody at all, no matter if they are the subject of her gossip or simply as curious as Arabella seems to be — even when it comes to her own person, without even taking offence in all the blackened words aimed at her. Nicolas Mercer Alexandra is the only ones he couldn’t possibly fake liking the company of. She might be younger than him by far, but it is not like he sees her as a potential target anyway. The two met as a result of her catching him lying and recognizing potential that looked just like what was lying inside her heart as well. The two hit it off rightaway and just as she is a little sister following him all the way to Oxford to him, Alexandra sees the big brother she never had and a shoulder to lean on in him, which is something she never had before and never imagined she would find, as she has always felt pretty different from everybody else and as if nobody deserves her friendship. Now, the two liars — one more at peace with her doings than the other — go out together, having teamed up and taking the lying game to a whole new level, even if they don’t need fake identities to get into most of the parties and even if causing a staged scene eventually causes them to get kicked out of the club earlier than planned. It’s entertaining and something both of them do to keep themselves away from becoming dusty. Victoria de Terreros Closer to her age than about anybody else, Alexandra finds it easy to get close to the duchess, who feels the same about the other girl. Though the two aren't friends in the true meaning of the word, Victoria believes that the red head is worth writing books about and endlessly fascinating, even though, overall, bad influence. Yet, she can't help but seek her company and look at her with admiration — one of a different sort than what she feels for Cordelia, which has more to do with her responsible side than the one that longs for freedom and a change. Alexandra realizes how vulnerable and innocent Victoria is, and ironically, for some reason, she doesn't think she is able to fool her too the way she fools most people she knows. Truth be told, she is an easy target and Alexandra cares to cheat those who could hypothetically tell they are being cheated, which seems to be her Achilles' heel and personal weakness. Dexter Carraway It all started when her website was hacked and she didn't know what to do, so she went to Dexter for help, for his well-known reputation among computers. Of course that he managed to recover the gossip blog almost instantly — after all, it was him who caused its fall, although Alexandra wasn't told that. It's just that she always messes with everybody and Dexter wanted, for once, to see her as the one messed with, for once, and teach her a lesson. Alexandra didn't learn much from it, truth be told, but she believes that he owes the man, so she is determined to let him get away with the sort of stuff she would post in a heartbeat for a while, as a thank you.

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Could Bella Thorne or Katherine McNamara work as a replacement fc for Alexandra Rossessen?

Hello! Yes, I believe either of those faceclaims would capture Alexandra Rossessen perfectly. I’m happy you are thinking about her.

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Could Danielle Campbell work as an fc for Alexandra?

I can’t see why not. She would be a lovely face to see on the dashboard and she does have that mischievous air Alexandra is supposed to have. 

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alt fc for Alexandra? Kat Mcnamara or Madelaine Petsch?

Both would make a beautiful Alexandra, though I believe Kat captures her spirit better. Ultimately, it’s up to who you would see work better.

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The following accounts have 24 hours to become active or contact the main to avoid the roles being reopened. In case you need a hiatus, please message us to request it.

ALEXANDRA ROSSESSEN ( @alexandrarossessen )

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WELCOME TO OXFORD TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENT!

ALEXANDRA ROSSESSEN

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❝ There are so many weapons in the world:       a boy’s breath   and the sunrise shattering, the shield of night.❞

Dexter Carraway | twenty-three (III) | The Riot Club | Tyler Blackburn | open

Dexter has never been cast as a victim — not when he had to hide in the laundry basket when his parents were turning their house into hell on earth fighting to the rhythm of the storm, not when somebody ran over him with their car and left him to bleed freely on the cold asphalt, not when he walked into the cafeteria every day to a corner table he would share with his backpack and his laptop only. He refused to play the role and feel sorry for himself, because despite all the stones thrown his way, he is strong enough to take it without complaint, used to the heaviness, if anything. He discovered that parents make up, bones get fixed and that there is a cure for loneliness too, with the name of a girl he doesn't even have to hold the hand of to love properly. Yet, it doesn't mean that the process of mending doesn't have repercussions: for he can't forget the way his mother's voice pitched when she started crying, and he has to use a wheelchair to move around the campus now, and sometimes even his best friend, Sophia, doesn't seem real and genuine — and her legs are so long and steady, so one day, if she chooses to go, he wouldn't be able to run after her. But, ever the optimist, the boy rejects all of those things hanging behind him, cold worries he chooses not to pay attention to if he can help it. He didn't grow up thinking of himself as a genius — feet on the ground and more focused on getting better and better every day than bragging about his progress. When he first turned on a computer and sat there, pressing key after key with the look of fascination of somebody who just spotted the one they want to marry, it was clear to him that he wanted to do that for the rest of his days, and that feeling only thickened in time. Now, the man can type at an unbelievable speed and very few of the device's secrets are strangers to him. It is true that being a Computer Science God did attract more trouble than appreciation, especially among people his age, and for that, he went through high-school wearing nickname after nickname — the newer, the crueler — and being laughed at until he lost his own laughter, but it all turned around for better once he left his town and packed his bags to go study at one of the world's top universities. The change of pace was remarkable, but he managed to keep up. He learned all the new names, tied all the meaningless friendships that he labelled as acquaintances, because they had nothing in common other than the attended university, even joined an underground, prestigious club that wanted him only because of his father's shining career in politics. His university experience had a normal run, until that night in his third year that could have ended everything prematurely. Then, everything stopped running, and became painfully slow and sticky to him. The hospital visits were awful, and most people he wanted to shun and ask to leave before they even entered his room, but he behaved for the sake of his father and counted the seconds until it was all over. Only later on did he find out that it would never be over and that the pity walk would never stop in the others' eyes, so he got used to it, trying to act as flattered as he could, although his interest in being convincing wasn't high enough for him to fool anybody. He was courteous, but didn't need their pats on the back and their sudden compassion. He never needed that from anybody, and all he wanted was to move on. The media, of course, turned his case into a tragedy and the fact that they haven't found a guilty person to pin it on, outrageous, but he honestly didn't care and just wanted that chapter of his life to end so he could focus on the important and the intimate. He doesn't, per se, accept the label of 'hacker', because he finds it an insult, but, from the age of sixteen, when he got into Paul Keel's Facebook account back in high-school to avenge the fact that he had thrown his laptop in the trash, that is half of what he has done with his computer related knowledge and he is proud of the power he acquired in the online environment. Not only once did it come in handy for fixing articles in favor of his father's reputation, or just delete unflattering pictures off Instagram at the request of various people, who started to pay him before he turned it into a proper job and took it to the next level.

Aiden Stafford Aiden is not the type to commit felonies willingly and even in this case, he wanted nothing less than to harm, but once the bad was completed, he didn't know what else to do but save himself and call 911 anonymously once he was at a fair distance. To redeem himself, he is making sure — more than usual — that he is the best possible person and support for Dexter and the struggles he is now facing because of him. Dexter, on the other hand, doesn't suspect a thing and he is genuinely grateful for having somebody so attentive and kind by his side, seeing only the good in Aiden and being pleased that so many people around him are pushing the wheelchair forward, instead of laughing. Sophia Clare She became his rock when nobody else was thronging to be his friend or anywhere near him — but all along the way, he, the boy who could live next door and ensure suitable material for a 'one in a million' nice guy, always needed her less than she needed him, which scares the hell out of Sophia. Even when he was in the hospital, it was her dying in between visiting hours, missing the way his lips curved into that addicting smile she knows like her own reflection. They are not together, nor has they ever been, because it is such an ephemeral state, and they both care too much to have each other for only a few months until a break up would ruin the balance, but it is so transparent that they are in love with each other — even to each other, through the denial purposefully. Skinny love or something simply deeper than a simple romantic relationship, they aren't in a place to put labels on it, postponing the 'big' discussion for as long as possible, because it is the least of their priorities with everything else, from Dexter's health to Sophia's drug business, in the way. Amir Jain Although they have been invited to join the Riot Club at about the same time, they didn’t have much of a friendship back in the days, that changing drastically after Dexter’s accident, that caused the other man to perceive him as a charity case — his ultimate weakness. Ever since, Amir has been trying to befriend him, because he felt bad about his condition and wanted to help as much as possible, drawn to the tragedy and wanting to flaunt his compassion, although not realizing. Dexter, of course, didn’t fight back, always in need for friends and reaching the impressive number of two once Amir decided to get to know him better. Of course that the computer nerd has nothing of the royal grace that is the main vibe Amir gives people, but, regardless, the two get along and share opinions on most things, with few exceptions that the latter chooses to overlook. Alexandra Rossessen It all started when her website was hacked and she didn’t know what to do, so she went to Dexter for help, for his well-known reputation among computers. Of course that he managed to recover the gossip blog almost instantly — after all, it was him who caused its fall, although Alexandra wasn’t told that. It’s just that she always messes with everybody and Dexter wanted, for once, to see her as the one messed with, for once, and teach her a lesson. Alexandra didn’t learn much from it, truth be told, but she believes that he owes the man, so she is determined to let him get away with the sort of stuff she would post in a heartbeat for a while, as a thank you.

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CONGRATULATIONS, ANNA!

You have been accepted to play the role of VICTORIA DE TERREROS with the faceclaim of SEYCHELLE GABRIEL. Please create your account and send it to the main in the next 24 hours. I couldn’t possibly stress enough how happy I am to have received this application from you. Victoria is a soft soul and a difficult character to embrace and understand, but you have such a strong grasp on her and everything about her, the way you have written this application, is so deliciously gentle that I immediately had to fall in love. What you have written is a flawed character who kept her tenderness despite everything, and that was simply sweet to read. It is my honor to invite you on the dashboard for I can’t wait to see Victoria in action.

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

Name and pronouns: Anna. She/her.

Age: 20 y/o.  

Time-zone: GMT+3.

Activity level: I am generally active and post replies every day, but sometimes miss a day of activity because of real life obligations. I always warn admins about the possibility of those inactive moments.

Triggers: Thankfully none, but respectful of others!  

IN CHARACTER INFORMATION

Desired character: Victoria de Terreros.

I think Victoria is an incredibly interesting character in her own right. She’s innocent and naïve, yes, but it’s because she is in a way experiencing the world for the first time. Victoria has never been all on her own before, and while she does have her brother there, they aren’t the closest of siblings. She is out for the first time without her mother’s incredibly watchful eyes, no one constantly pointing out her mistakes or downfalls. She is seeing everything with fresh and hopeful eyes that is just very refreshing and wonderful to play out. As well as the fact that these hopes very well could be dashed and forced to see the reality of life outside her sheltered home.

Gender and pronouns of the character: Cis female with she/her pronouns.

Changes: None!

Traits:

Quiet – It wasn’t as though Victoria didn’t know what to say and when to say it, she did. And she could, it just that often times things she said were misconstrued or taken in a different direction than she intended for them and that would lead into her growing nervous and stumbling over her words and embarrassing not only herself but her family in the process. This is why the girl chooses to stay quiet and smile, putting on the mask and look of the young royal lady that she is supposed to be.

Nervous – Victoria is not the most confident of women. It does not take much to make the girl grow anxious and jittery under too attentive of gazes. She tries incredibly hard to keep from picking at her nails, constantly readjusting her clothing or playing with her hair, all nervous habits that her mother loathed and tried everyday to train out of her to complete and utter failures. Probably because of her mother’s constant attention and pressures that she is more skittish than a baby kitten.

Generous, kind – She is incredibly pure of heart and intentions. She believes of the best in everyone, willing to give them second, third, fourth and even hundredth chances if they make mistakes. She is always willing to lend a helping hand and offer whatever she can to even strangers. Which leads to many people thinking the world of her, as well as using this to their advantage against her.

Naïve – Victoria’s kindness leads heavily into naivety, it is her forgiving nature and thinking the best of all people, even the seemingly most hopeless of cases. She is never able to tell when someone is being genuine towards her, or when they are very obviously only using her for her title, or the money they believe that she has.

Creative – The young woman is incredibly creative, constantly thinking up stories in her head, losing herself in each and every life that she has never lived but within her mind’s eye. It is her escape, a way for her to forget the stresses that her mother places upon her delicate shoulders.

Insecure – Victoria doesn’t believe in herself or her abilities. She is scared of putting her thoughts to paper, or even onto a Word document, afraid that someone might stumble across it and pass more judgment on her, which she faces enough of on a regular basis. She doesn’t wish to subject herself to any more of it.

Observant – Though oblivious Victoria might be to the true intentions of others, she is incredibly observant and watching others as they move through life. She tries to see into others and understand them and their actions, trying to figure them out and solve them like a puzzle inside her head.

Extras:

Her major is currently undecided. She wishes that she could go into a creative writing program, learn to develop skills that she might have, to put her talent out there, but she is much too intimidated by the thought and her parents would never accept their only daughter to “throw away” her potential with an arts degree.

Victoria is pansexual and panromantic. She has always known that she was attracted to women as much as she was attracted to men, though she doesn’t have much experience with either. The girl has never held preference of one over the other, rather being attracted to the person, not caring for what gender they are. As long as they can talk and she can feel at ease around them, she grows attracted to them and falls easily. Though she is quick to fall, she holds onto her heart tightly, not ready to give it away to someone in fears that it might be broken, or worse not considered good enough.

She has a difficult relationship with her parents, especially her mother. Arcelia de Terreros is incredibly hard on her daughter, though the woman says that it is for her daughters own good, it causes more harm than anything positive. For as long as Victoria can remember, she has never been good enough for her mother. She has always been “too this” or “too that”, and constantly faces criticisms from her mother. She’s never elegant enough, nor delicate enough, and when she had been younger, never skinny enough or put together enough to be the daughter of a Duke and Duchess. It caused a lot of insecurities to build inside Victoria, leading the girl to be shy and nervous around others, not wanting them to see all that was wrong with her.

Her relationship with her brother, Jacob, is not much better. Neither have spent much time trying to understand each other and their positions. Jacob is resentful of Victoria for not having the same extreme pressures of carrying on the name with the weight of everyone and everything on his shoulders. Whilst she is envious of him for making it seem as though it all comes so easy to him. They aren’t very good at communicating with each other, which she wishes they could work on, wanting a better relationship with her brother and to be as close as most siblings.

Victoria overcompensates her perceived pitfalls and tries to be as kind and compassionate to others as she can, wanting to see the best in them and reach out towards them to help in any way that she possibly can. All whilst still trying to follow into the footsteps of girls Cordelia McQueen to copy her elegance and grace, or Alexandra Rossessen with how charming and well spoken she is.

Quotes:

“We are, as a species, addicted to story.  Even when the body is asleep, the mind stays up all night, telling itself stories.”

“She is so busy looking inside people to find the good that she misses the knife they’re holding in their hand.”

“She had literature inside her heart that she couldn’t sometimes write.”

“She did not need much, wanted very little. A kind word, sincerity, fresh air, clean water, a garden, kisses, books to read, sheltering arms, a cozy bed, and to love and be loved in return.”

“I am so afraid of disappointing the people I love, I often forget that I am someone I love too. And I need kindness just as much as I believe the people I love do.”

“Having a soft heart in a cruel world is courage, not weakness.”

“She would have swallowed the sun to make you warm enough. She was nothing but love. She was nothing but love.”

“I get way too sensitive when I get attached to someone. I can detect the slightest changed in the tone of their voice, and suddenly I’m spending all day trying to figure out what I did wrong.”

Some musings: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve.  

PARA SAMPLE

Victoria stood in front of her full length mirror in her bedroom, staring at her own reflection as she turned this way and that. She was inspecting herself, trying to make sure that her look was fitting for the daughter of royalty, trying to look at herself through her mother’s eyes as she ran her hands over her outfit to smooth out an lines. Once the girl was satisfied, she finally let a small smile tug up the corners of her lips. She wasn’t one for over the top fashions, especially not for every day classes and no real occasions. Victoria was a simple girl at heart, but she had an image to uphold, a family name to live up to and she needed to wear it with pride and with the same style as her mother was known for all her life.

She took a deep breath as she finally stepped out into the world that she had to put on an act to fit into. The world she was much too soft for and completely out of her depths, but to all the world this was exactly where the heiress belonged. No matter how much she acted though, she couldn’t fool the others about herself, she could hide her family’s troubles and lack of fortune, but the girl couldn’t hide the sparkle in her eyes and the brightness of her smile every time she experienced something new or found something she genuinely enjoyed.

Victoria checked her lipstick, trying to make sure that it was perfectly done as all the others before making her way over to where the other Quarrel Club girls were gathered. She greeted them all softly with a smile before taking her place beside Alexandra and accepting the drink that was passed to her. She wasn’t much of a drinker, didn’t like how it made her feel whenever she drank. She would much rather be sitting in a corner with a good book and a hot cup of hot chocolate. The girl still kept up appearances, holding onto her drinks and taking small sips before finding somewhere to dump the contents of the glass.

Instead Victoria stuck to the sidelines and watched the others. It was her usual activity during these gatherings to observe the others as they interacted with new and different people. She was comfortable watching from the sidelines, she felt too anxious and nervous when interacting with new people unless there was someone like Alexandra or Cordelia by her side to draw attention away from her, and keep her comfortable.

She would much rather to imagine up other lives and characters in the people she saw or met, making up elaborate backstories for strangers as they came and went, rarely, if ever to be seen again. This was how she entertained herself, living vicariously through the others and imagined scenarios that she could never dare take part in herself. Sure, she was a duchess to be and had to project that image, and there were surely others that would want to live her life. In truth, she knew that if anyone were to realize the actual truth of the de Terreros family, she would be completely insignificant. The only interesting fact about her was the title she held and the blood that ran through her veins. Victoria was sure that her parents thought much the same, probably wishing they had a daughter more like the graceful Cordelia, or the charismatic Alexandra.

It wasn’t as if she was jealous of the women, she wasn’t, she was grateful for their friendship and mentorship of her life at Oxford, but she did wish she could somehow be more like them without all the nervous fluttering in her stomach that caused her to mess up and embarrass herself and her family. She was intelligent in her own right, Victoria knew so, she just didn’t have the courage to put herself forward in that way.

“Lost in your head again?” a voice spoke up beside her, startling the young woman out of her thoughts as she turned to who spoke. She smiled fondly at Aiden and let out a little laugh, shaking her head lightly. “Not lost, just roaming,” she replied jokingly. Victoria tilted her head to the side as she turned to Aiden and looked at him. “What about you? I haven’t gotten to read any of your work recently?” she asked the older male. “Not mad at me, are you?” the girl questioned playfully, knowing she hadn’t done anything to upset the other, at least not to her own knowledge.

Aiden was the only other person she truly felt comfortable with, didn’t feel judged by. The other was genuine and was the kind to never intentionally hurt anyone else, similar enough to herself, though much more eye-catching with his infectious attitude and approachable persona. The only time the girl ever felt the slightest bit pressured around him is whenever the other urged her to pursue her own writing, but it was only ever for her to achieve her goals and to encourage her to do something she was genuinely good at.

“And why ever would I be mad at you?” he asked, making the girl give a little shrug of her shoulders. “You never know, there’s a lot that can upset someone even with many things being unsaid,” she replied, looking out at the others. “Well, that’s certainly true,” the man agreed, sipping his own drink as he gazed at the party-goers with her.

[oxfordeliterp]

❝ To whom do I owe the biggest apology?       no one's been crueller than I've been to me    for letting you decide if I indeed was desirable for my self love being so embarrassingly conditional.❞

Arabella Windsor | twenty-three (III) | The Quarrel Club | Sarah Gadon | taken

From the moment of her birth on, Arabella has been the pride of her mother and father, two surgeons who had more time to be parents in theory than in practice. Yet, the innocent, big eyed girl never noticed absence as a child, because it was the norm and she didn't know a family could mean more than what she was getting. Nannies passed her, taught her to straighten her back, spell correctly, smile when it was the case and be the epitome of a proper daughter — and she was, for a long, long time. She was happy, even, in her bubble, and her parents had nothing to object. That until she brought home the first boy she loved and the idea of their fifteen year old having a boyfriend seemed so outrageous and out of the ordinary for Mr. and Mrs. Windsor that a series of long, exhausting fights began then and didn't stop to this day. The sunny, perfect life they were faking reached a sky of clouds and Arabella was done trying to fix it by pleasing them. Everything she was saying clashed with her parents' thoughts and it didn't look like a serious problem until she realized that they would never let her pursue the job of her dreams and become an actress. To the Windsors, a career in theater just didn't seem realistic so it was off the table before she could even properly dream of herself on a stage, performing. That turned Arabella bitter beyond return. She was intelligent and could do anything in the world because of the education she has received, but she wanted the one thing her parents would never change their mind about. Everything else turned into background noise: she got accepted into Oxford, but it didn't seem to matter anymore. She found herself crying her mascara off with the acceptance letter in her hands, and what should have been a reason of joy turned into a nightmare, because she was too stubborn for plan B's, especially if they were the kind that made her parents get those annoying proud smiles that she couldn't swallow on their faces. They didn't deserve to feel pride and she felt cheated whenever they were content with her. Her life purpose turned, from reaching fame and spotlights, into disappointing her father and making her mother cry, if they paid attention at all. It was after taking this decision that a general feeling of numbness overwhelmed her — because she started seeing her life as wasted and treated it as such. She has almost been expelled as a result of her behavior, but that is what triggered a faint sense of self-preservation — just enough so she would at least finish her studies to get a job and not depend on her mother and father forever. Other than that, Arabella has collected quite a reputation and everybody knows her name. If there is one thing everybody, no matter how disinterested in tittle-tattle, has heard about on campus, it is Arabella's shocking performances in public, although she doesn't look like the type of girl who would misbehave and build up that kind of a reputation for herself — looks bubbly and faerie-like that could fool if her name wasn't so widely known and if they hadn't all seen her take shot after shot at a party between making out with two different people. One thing is for certain: at least she owns her actions and doesn't pretend to have lost her memory of the past hours of her life in the mornings, taking responsibility, and even pride in the uncontrollable mess she has turned into. Even free, she doesn't feel less restricted by the strings her parents left from back when she was still their pretty little doll, the puppet dancing with the moves and steps they dictated. Nothing of her newly found freedom and rebellion make her feel any less conflicted with herself because, at the end of the day, they solve nothing, and she doesn't want to be a vengeful spirit. In fact, she would like nothing more than ballance, but the concept seems so far away and impossible to achieve that she settles for the organized chaos and the constant defiance of everything she has been brought up to be.

Marc Arkwright To Marc, Arabella is nothing but a bitch who knows how to bat her eyelids and has a body to die for — which makes him a jerk. To Arabella, Marc is nothing but a jerk whose company she can do nothing but benefit from, due to his excessive popularity and wealth — which makes her a bitch, in debatable terms. They are both toxic, at the end of the day, but not to each other, and, ironically, by the time the moon sets itself on the sky, they find shelter into each other’s bed. Anything that happens inside the walls of their bedrooms, howsoever, never sees the daylight because they ignore each other when more than two pairs of eyes are watching. Alexandra Rossessen Arabella doesn't have much respect for the younger girl, but she has to give her credits for the amount of gossip she manages to snatch and her dedication to share it with such meticulousness. As a person who has always enjoyed the whispers and rumor spreading, Arabella is grateful that there are people sharing her passion and Alexandra doesn't mind her company. Frankly, she would be more than happy to discuss trivial topics such as other people and what the word goes with anybody at all, no matter if they are the subject of her gossip or simply as curious as Arabella seems to be — even when it comes to her own person, without even taking offence in all the blackened words aimed at her. Jacob de Terreros He sounds like a fairy tale and although she is fighting everything in her nature to stay a cynic and roll her eyes at his every move, she feels drawn to the concept of a duke to be. The bubbly ponytailed girl who used to take equestrianism classes in her can't help but stare. He, on the other hand, takes full advantage of his status and the glimmer in her eyes. He acts kind and sweet, because it is the role of his life and one he is familiar with, but deep down, what he wants from her sounds just like what everybody else's intentions. It's just an entertaining role play, not to mention that he is pulling sensitiveness out of the femme fatale of the campus that seemed just so unbreakable a moment ago. Jacob is having the time of his life toying with her, but he does it with such subtlety that nobody can tell. Elizabeth Pemberly Arabella has always considered Elizabeth to be foolish for sticking around when it came to her boyfriend and for not seeing his obvious unfaithful acts, but truth be told, she was the stupid one, not unable to ever comprehend that Elizabeth knew and had her own little game to play. She just couldn't care less, being indiferent rather than blind. Yet, just to make her feel guilty, she behaved almost too nicely around her — and she didn't know just how guilty it was going to make Arabella feel, since it never truly touched her until the girl was dead and until she realized she is sleeping, and has been sleeping with a dead girl's boyfriend for a while now.

[oxfordeliterp]

❝ Damn the exquisite measuring of depth.       take me away from the water;   i can no longer see my reflection from such a gruesome height.❞

Nicholas Mercer | twenty-three (III) | The Riot Club | Douglas Booth | taken

Nicholas is a series of uncertainties, but one thing has never been debatable about him — he is a sweet talker that could convince flowers to bloom with the sound of his voice and turn their leaves red with nervousness. He has always been known for it, charming and self-confident, winning over, one at a time, his whole middle school, two high schools that he changed in his Sophomore year and, soon the way he used to see it, the world. Because who could resist to an intelligent mind who knew how to smile as well? Yet, as soon as he got accepted into Oxford and met his colleagues, Nicholas faced the shock of his life: suddenly, he was no longer the only one with a witty remark on the top of his tongue. Suddenly, his light faltered as he looked around and realized that the sky was full of stars just like him, maybe even brighter. The boy who had been constantly told how special, how out of the ordinary and how irresistible he was finally met not only an equal, but dozens. The university was crawling with clones of him, sometimes even improved, for most had the funds and parental support impressed almost equally. For the first time in his life, Nick understood envy from the other side, for he was used to being the subject of others’. Yet, he didn’t give up. Although the thought of not being an original bothers him to this day, two to three years later, he is mostly pleased with himself: he has managed to get in the top ten best versions of the IT boy archetype. Taking it to the next level after getting to see the crème de la crème in action, he stepped up his own self expectations and became good according to the high society’s standards. But he isn’t just good, not the way he sees himself; he is a God and nothing can stay in the way of his dreams. The frustration regarding financial possibilities is still breaking his heart because he just knows that if he had these boys’ upbringings, he would have been the sun, not just a star, but he learned an alternative way of getting there. At first, it was strategically shot compliments at the ladies who came to eat in the restaurant he used to work as waiter in. The compliments became dates and he became a handsome resort for lonely rich women who found him so full of potential and delightful. This scheme only works for a limited amount of time, though, so he came up with a long term solution to his problem. Although he doesn’t want to marry so soon and especially in such circumstances, he is positive that it is the only safe way to immediately see himself in a manor after graduation, so the fishing has started. Despite him being the one pushing for it, he feels like it is him the one making the selection of who deserves to be the spoiled girl, lucky enough to have her minds to twisted by him and him to sweep her off her feet. He doesn't like to think about it, for the mere reminder of why he is doing it and the fact that he is blacken the walls of his brain and disappoint himself, because what happened to the boy who genuinely thought his only powers were enough to take over the world? Less idealistic and dreamy, but feeling repulsed staring at the bathroom mirror painting his own reflection, Nick doesn't know what this school has made of him and isn't entirely sure if it was the environment or simply the path he would have gone on out of his own initiative. He can't accept to have ruined himself and his integrity willingly, so he denies the very existence of his materialism and pretends to be genuine with every step in hopes that he would not only fool a stupid rich girl, but also the smart poor boy hiding in his shoes. He never meant to be so shallow and wicked, which is why if he wasn't handling it all with the biggest possible ray of confidence, he would be too disgusted to even lift his eyes from the ground. Coming home to his mother, the woman who adores him the most, without even the pretty words and batting of eyelashes flirtatiously, turned from the most expected event of the season into a burden, because he cannot look in the eyes of the woman who raised him and feel so impure about himself. Yet, he can't have it any other way, needing the Riot Club, needing the level of high life and the glimmer that comes with it all. No matter how intelligent and prepared in any sort of situation, the man can't seem to get off the burning train of taking advantage of his friends and apparent social title, because he has got acquainted with the spotlight and it caused him to become addicted. He can't seem to give up his plan and he needs it more than ever, because he can't afford not succeeding — though it is as true as the fact that he wants to come clean and become a decent man again that most of the times he asks himself why, realizing that all the people he knows are accomplished and rich because somebody from their family, at one point or another, was in Nick's shoes and chose success over integrity. He doesn't know what is more important to him, but, from the looks of it, he is leaning towards the temptation and needs financial balance even more than he wants it, which is enough to begin with, anyway.

Victoria de Terreros Nick isn’t a gold digger — he says — but a curious boy who finds it fascinating that somebody so out of the quotidian studies at the same university with him. That is what he tells himself to justify what of Victoria’s company is worth seeking, in order to feel better about taking interest in the girl just because she is a duchess. Yet, Victoria isn’t mature enough to realize where the line between genuine friendship and friendship based on interest can be crossed, which is why she can’t tell that she is being used for the nice ring her name has to it. She actually considers Nicholas to be quite a gentleman, and his company always makes her feel better, as the charming boy knows exactly what words to use to get under her skin… for no reason whatsoever. He is charming and dreamy and just like the unwritten book hero of her life. Alexandra Rossessen Alexandra is the only ones he couldn't possibly fake liking the company of. She might be younger than him by far, but it is not like he sees her as a potential target anyway. The two met as a result of her catching him lying and recognizing potential that looked just like what was lying inside her heart as well. The two hit it off rightaway and just as she is a little sister following him all the way to Oxford to him, Alexandra sees the big brother she never had and a shoulder to lean on in him, which is something she never had before and never imagined she would find, as she has always felt pretty different from everybody else and as if nobody deserves her friendship. Now, the two liars — one more at peace with her doings than the other — go out together, having teamed up and taking the lying game to a whole new level, even if they don't need fake identities to get into most of the parties and even if causing a staged scene eventually causes them to get kicked out of the club earlier than planned. It's entertaining and something both of them do to keep themselves away from becoming dusty. Lucas Lockwood Lucas doesn't know how he found somebody he can relate to as well as to Nicholas and, for that, he is grateful to have him as his best friend. He enjoys his company and doesn't even realize when he is paying for both their drinks — or, rather, he doesn't mind and care enough to ask why, which is the little tact he has, all coming into play for a platonic relationship rather than a person he is trying to impress. In fact, romantic interests matter too little to Lucas compared to his friendships and the loyalty he has towards the Riot Club in general. Nick can't say he agrees on that, no matter how much he enjoys the club and all of the perks that come with it, but he does care about Lucas right back, even though it all started as using him for a living wallet that wouldn't even realize some of the money went on things other than his own. Lana Chambers Instead of running away from her origins and pretending to be part of the game in the true sense of the word, Lana stands out being proud to be here on a scholarship, just because her mind is brilliant enough to deserve it. Nicholas doesn't understand it and little would he have cared about it and her if they didn't know each other, having grown up in the same town. What a small world we're living in. The young woman remembers him well — because how does one forget somebody like Nick? — but she is skeptical towards him just seeing his behavior and how he is trying to bury his roots as deeply as possible. Although it isn't something she is actively trying to achieve through manipulation of a sort, she wishes to have him exposed in front of his posh friends who, mostly, think he is as rich as they are, which is why, to him, she is the most dangerous person on campus and he resents her for the power she now has over him.