#carmen02

[cara-mrrsn]

who: @carmenhearst when: sometime past midnight where: the warehouse rave

Carmen may not have seemed like the type of person Cara was typically friends with, but she did like her. Even with the fact that she had gotten along with Greer as well. But as different as they were, this type of party was not the type that Cara really expected to see Carmen at. The echo of another party, nearly a year ago, flashed through Cara's mind when she spotted her. The school year waning, Carmen, Cara...and the last time Greer had shown her face.

An ominous memory, one that Cara brushed off as due to the annoying texts.

And maybe the fact that she was a little high. Paranoia, and all.

Determined to think about tonight, and not that other party, Cara flashed a coy smirk at Carmen as she shook of the guy she was dancing with to instead approach the brunette, her head angled towards a shoulder. "If I had known you were into raves, I would've been inviting you out with me more often," she said, arching up an eyebrow. "Unless..." Cara let her voice trail off, eyes boring into Carmen's, the dangling hook about what had brought Cara there waiting for her to grab it.

[ash-morse]

Ash swung the door open, taking a momentary reprieve from the dance floor as the homecoming court was celebrating to slip away - go to the bathroom, get a new drink, et cetera. He was still bopping his head back and forth to the music as he reached the door, swinging it open and taking a couple steps into the bathroom - no, not the bathroom. A deep furrow appeared between his brow, Ash taking in the night sky for a moment before he jumped from the realization Carmen was standing right in front of him. "Fuck, I didn't see you," he said, glancing over his shoulder at the door that had swung shut behind him before looking back towards her. "I thought that was the door for the bathroom," he admitted, a hand reaching up and pushing his curls away from his forehead.

Who: Open. When: Saturday, September 2nd. Where: The Homecoming Gala.

Carmen knew she hadn't been the only one waiting for it, her throat and chest constricting as the music was cut and the announcement began. Surely they're all waiting for it, for that name that had already been familiar but seemed almost carved into the minds and lives of everyone in attendance over the past year, Greer Morrison. It doesn't come; not for queen and not even for the court. Carmen almost doesn't register Heath being announced among the names, too busy trying to process what felt like a delusion, only seeming to snap back to reality when people began moving. She urges him forward, watching as he joined the other court members and the dance began before focusing on the still present weight on her chest. She slips from her spot, easing her way through the crowd until she reaches the doors, stepping outside and drawing in the fresh air. She foolishly doesn't even consider moving out of the pathway, stumbling forward only when the door swings open and nearly collides with her. "Sorry." An apology followed by a breath of nervous laughter as she turns to face the other, suddenly acutely aware of how not pulled together she was in that instant. "I figured everyone would be inside enjoying the dance."

[schuhfachmann]

NEU: GerryWeber Stiefeletten Carmen02 - G82202-MI90782 - asphalt-multi -

[schuhfachmann]

NEU: GerryWeber Stiefeletten Carmen02 - G82202-MI90102 - schwarz-multi -

[aiden-stevens]

Aiden: get there when it starts Aiden: spare you from the crazy before things get wild Aiden: im a stellar employee and im definitely not up to no good @carmen-alamilla

Carmen: Only long enough to drop off the cards and tequila Carmen: It won't. Carmen: Just don't tell me anything I don't need to know.

[mari-zuko]

Mari's laugh was as low as Carmen's, the taller brunette glancing away as in almost the same moment. Did Carmen not get clues, hints, taunts the way that Mari had, in a twisted game to get her here? Or was it perhaps just that Mari was reading too much into it? It was too much to guess, unable to know unless Mari explicitly explained what she had gotten, and hoped Carmen would do the same - and she wasn't foolish enough for either. She hummed in response, giving a sideways glance back towards Carmen. "I don't there are any prizes in whatever game this is," she said, shrugging her shoulders up as she let the admission slip. "But maybe that's just me being cynical." Or smart. Prepared, even - considering what type of prizes had been left throughout the year.

Logic said she should hold more consideration for her words, to not mention G or the reason they were here, not even sure who all had come this evening because of an anonymous invite demand or of their own free will. She'd blame it on the liquor coursing through her, not her tended poison of choice but the only option she'd had in granting herself even the smallest bit of respite — unfortunately, it also depleted self preservation. It's only with the question that she realizes how stupid it was to mention, how she was setting herself up for more questions that she wouldn't want to answer and she releases her own laugh, so soft it's lost under the music. "Scavenger hunt?" She repeats, putting her attention on the dance floor so she wouldn't have to face the question so directly. "I would have much preferred that. Perhaps the clues would have been easier to follow." It wasn't as if Carmen hadn't known the implications of the text, but why it'd brought her and Jesse together, she still couldn't understand. A game she certainly hadn't won, if there was even a way to do so. "Does that make this place the prize or punishment?"

[reinaazarolla]

Reina chuckled, "You can take my shot." She shook her head as they made their way to one of the refreshment stations. "Just be careful tonight, have fun but be careful." Her words carried a sincere sense of worry. Once she found a water bottle she opened it and in a celebratory tone she shouted, "Cheers!" Before taking a quick drink, wiping her lips afterward.

Under different circumstances the disinterest might sway her, Carmen likely to agree with Reina's choice and decide on water herself — unfortunately, tonight wasn't just any night and everything that G had overwhelmed her with needed to be handled in some way, lest she break down for the world to see. "Well, I'm not so sure we can have any fun if we don't give it a shot." Words with which the double meaning is clear, even if just based on the quirk of her lips.

[cara-mrrsn]

Cara's eyes continued to scan over the warehouse, distaste curling her upper lip before she looked back towards Carmen, a nod of her head - paired with an inscrutable smirk - giving a quick confirmation of the word choice. Yes. Mundane. Partially because it was just a run of the mill rave type, and partially because - even if G couldn't actually hear her (which at this point, Cara wouldn't be surprised if they could somehow) - Cara wanted that dig. She wanted them to know she was not impressed. That they could drag this out, they could try to be a pale imitation of Greer, but they would never be able to force people into feeling any type of way.

Which was how Cara knew whoever was behind this wasn't actually Greer. Because that had always been an innate talent of her sister's that she couldn't help but resent.

"Well, we surely wouldn't be a dirty warehouse with nothing unique about the entire night," Cara said with a shrug, sighing as her fingers reached up, twisting a piece of pink hair - an extension, not her own - between them. "And I'd be far more stringent with my dress code. Half of these people wouldn't have been let it based on that alone," she added a second later, dropping the strand of hair as she straightened her spine, offering Carmen a twisted, bitter smile. "But I suppose there's a reason we're all here, isn't there? she said, her eyes once again drifting away to look around - but with Cara, it was impossible to know if she meant G or something more....Cara-like as she looked around. "Just got to...find it."

Within the flash of a light, Cara's features shift, not hiding the disappointment that Carmen's words seem to make her feel. It was a trait of the younger Morrison that she'd often envied, her refusal to play a part, to be what anyone wanted her to be. Cara was who she was, plain and simple, and she didn't seem to care who saw it or what they thought of it. It was freedom Carmen could only ever dream of grasping, but in that instant, with the disappointment cast upon her, the weight of the world around her only seemed heavier.

"Mundane?" Her eyes can't help but cast to the space behind the blonde, to the party that was now in full swing, every detail seeming far beyond anything she'd ever thrown or had the capacity to throw. For a moment, it made her wonder how Cara felt about her own events, or if they were merely different categorically. "If this is mundane, I do have to ask what the evening might look like with you running things." An event that hopefully wouldn't come with an elusive entity and threatening texts but then, she wasn't sure she could put the entertainment of it all past the other girl.

[cara-mrrsn]

The coy expression fell off Cara's face as Carmen replied, disappointment souring her mood almost instantly. Either she hadn't gotten a text, or she didn't want to talk about whatever it was with Cara. She wasn't sure which would be worse - but either way, Cara really wasn't a fan of the options. "That there does," she agreed with a faux smile, though none of this was a first time for her. The skimpy outfit, the drugs, the lights, the music, the dancing. It was nearly a weekly occurance for her. Hence the ease with which she had shaken off the circumstances that had brought her there, up until the reminder of the text, the reminder that was currently staring at her with big brown doe eyes.

"Please," Cara said, a dismissing wave of her hand following the words. She did look really good though - that definitely wasn't what she was disagreeing with. "I would never throw something so...." she paused, her nose wrinkling up as she glanced around them, taking in the rave again. "Mundane." The word was drawn out, extra syllables thrown into the insult - and if G was listening somehow, Cara certainly hope it pissed them off.

It's hard not to catch sight of her; Cara, in so many ways, a reflection of her sister, bright and shining in the midst of the chaos of the night and yet, the two remained a world apart. It's only when Cara flashes the smirk that she realizes her eyes had lingered perhaps too long, lost both in her thoughts and the drinks she'd consumed, a thin gloss that had slipped over her eyes. Stupid, stupid, stupid. What was left of the voice of reasoning that told her she should be keeping her wits about her right now, but it was a battle between sobriety and sanity, and Carmen, along with a good portion of the other attendees, had clearly chosen their side.

Unless...

Had Cara gotten a text too? Had everyone? Or was that just paranoia? There's a part of her that desperately longs to spill the truth, to verify the blonde was okay following whatever she'd received, but she can't. Admitting to the text would lead to questions about what her text had said, admitting to what the text said would lead to questions about what it meant and she remained unable to answer that — especially to Cara.

"There has to be a first time for everything, doesn't there?" Eyes once again flickering over the other girl's form, clearly not the stranger to an event such as this that Carmen was, even without her words indicating such. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think this was your party. You look-...good. Really good."

[mari-zuko]

It was hard to make out anyone's features in the dark warehouse, the bright lighting not helping, multiple people passing by with Mari not registering anything about them. The flash of the white dress, near glowing in some of the blacklights, caught her eye, of course, but it took Carmen falling into step beside her for her to realize that it was someone she knew. Mari didn't know if she should be relieved about that or not, considering the circumstances that had led her to the warehouse. Her tongue pressed into her teeth, eyes darting to and from Carmen's, unable to hold eye contact for very long considering the implications of the invitation from G. For her, at least. She'd go back to the monotony any day, rather than the fear and anticipation of what was being dangled over her head - Mari couldn't admit that, though. She let out a low laugh, tossing her hair over her shoulder as if brushing off what Carmen had said, as if it wasn't a big deal. "In some ways," she said, hedging around actually answering the question. "You were sent on some weird scavenger hunt too, then?" she asked in a lilting voice, angling her head towards a shoulder.

Who: Mari Zuko. When: Saturday, May 6th - Sunday, May 7th. Where: The Rave.

As she drawers nearer, she's blatantly aware of how polar opposite they appear in that instant, yin and yang colliding in the midst of the colorful event; Carmen in her white dress and Mari in her black number. It's an attire that causes Carmen's orbs to wander, something she catches herself doing and has to force to a stop, the same way she's forcing a smile onto her features — but in a rare show, there's a tension in her that might be notable to anyone who looks close enough, only hidden by the buildings poor lighting and the fact that she was unlikely to be the only one feeling on edge. "So..." She drawls as she steps beside her, a part of her hoping to slip into the corner, into the darkness, out of this place entirely if she was able. "What's the consensus? Is this...forced rave at the hands of...G worse than the monotonous events Ogden has to offer?" A desperate attempt at lightening whatever this situation was, at distracting her own brain.

@mari-zuko

[aiden-stevens]

Aiden: nah you werent on the list but youre welcome to stop by if you want Aiden: as long as it doesnt reflect poorly on our boss employee relationship Aiden: yk? @carmen-alamilla

Carmen: I am almost offended at the request for beer Carmen: And I am almost certain this wasn't meant for me. Carmen: I will at least stop by with some nice cards, and the high shelf tequila.

[reinaazarolla]

Hidden cameras, that made sense and it would definitely help if G were one person but the cameras would need to have audio and at a place like this that was going to be hard. The music was too overbearing, if they wanted to listen in on conversations then they needed physical bodies to roam around and eavesdrop. "Why would G bring us all here if they didn't plan for something to happen?" Reina sighed. "Unless they just want to see us panic, but I feel like they want more than just that. So," there was a short pause. "We'll see where the night takes us. What's that saying?" She pressed her lips together for a moment. "Expect the unexpected, right?"

Blame it on her trusting nature, the fact that the words are the first time Carmen considers the possibility — that there could be more than one person behind this whole thing. It made more sense, the way they'd been able to continue this for so long, tormenting how many of them, disclosing secrets while remaining one? It's also a reality that she doesn't want to face, to know there was more than one person who was seeking out other people's suffering. "My assumption was on hidden cameras." Words managed in a playful tone, despite the unease settled in the pit of her stomach. "They certainly seem smarter than making it that easy." Then getting caught. "I think they'll only let us see what it is they want us to." Carmen didn't want to admit it, but she was suffering the same feeling as Reina, a fear and nervousness that left her unbalanced in a way she'd never been before and the words are of no assistance. "You don't...you don't think something's going to happen...do you?"

[reinaazarolla]

Reina shook her head at the offer to join Carmen for a drink. She was trying to remain clear headed tonight and didn't want to have too much alcohol. "I mean, I'll go with you but I won't actually drink with you. Unless it's water." She gave a small smile, knowing she'd start to ramble if she continued to talk. "Sorry..." she sighed, "I guess I'm having trouble actually having fun tonight."

The second scenario, the best case, hardly felt the best case at all. Her mind is instantly flooded with the memory of where she'd been before arriving to the warehouse, to her meeting with Jesse and the texts they'd received, to the secret the words on her screen had hinted at. Surely nothing could be worse than the thing she'd so desperately clung to being leaked to the entire party — but then the next words come and her mind's forced to remember Penny, to that night, to how dark whatever was going on truly was. Suddenly, the alcohol in her system wasn't near enough. "On that note, I think I need another drink." Words that are spoken with the same teasing tone that made it seem nothing had changed and yet, Carmen felt sick to her stomach. "Do you want to come? Help...start off that fun?"

[reinaazarolla]

"Best case scenario," Reina said with a sharp inhale, "I mean besides nothing else happening would be maybe some people are outed, their secrets no longer kept in the shadows." She shrugged her shoulders. "Worst case scenario," She through for a moment of what to say. "Someone gets hurt, like physically hurt." The worst case scenario was that there is another Penny incident but she didn't want to say that and make Carmen worry more than she probably already was. "Nothing suspicious yet, but it's hard in crowds like these. Probably why G invited us all." Reina forced a smile, trying to change the mood to something lighter, "But I'm sure I'm just overthinking it. Tonight will be fun." Hopefully, she added as an inner thought.

Carmen wasn't sure what she'd anticipated upon receiving the text about the party, what she'd anticipated when she'd been told to dress for a rave to begin with, a small piece of her still hanging onto the hope that the worst of it had passed, that her meeting with Jesse would have been the most unpleasant portion of what the evening had to bring. Now she was second guessing that. "I guess I didn't...think about that." Perhaps her brain had been trying to save her from this, from the lump in her throat and the weight upon her chest that seems once again heavier. "Any idea what it might be?" It's a desperate attempt at lightening the mood, her tone holding a hint of teasing, attempting to ease her own nerves. "Anything suspicious drawing your attention yet?"

[reinaazarolla]

Reina nodded in agreement, "Plus, who knows who's watching on their behalf. I doubt it's just G monitor this whole event." Saying that out loud brought a thought that perhaps Carmen was one of those people and she was testing her. But she might also now think Reina was some sort of spy. Who could be trusted? That was a question that was hard to answer ever since G made an appearance. "Well, I guess I was just going to keep an eye out for anything suspicious but they could be masters of blending in." The brunette shrugged, feeling a little defeated that tonight actually wouldn't bring anyone closer to solving this whole G mystery. "Tonight is making my head spin and I haven't really drank enough or taken anything to make it do that." Reina shook her head, "Let's just hope we all make it through tonight relatively unscathed."

Reina's words are a simple but humbling tug back towards reality. Would they notice? In the midst of the chaos and the bodies that seemed to be milling about, would it really be of such a note if she just slipped out the door? Or, the more pressing question, what would the punishment be if she did? "I suppose it would be rather rude to disappoint our...host before we're excused." If they were excused. Was there some ball that was going to drop before they were all allowed on their merry ways or was this merely a way to toy with them all? To get them here and then leave them with their nerves and anticipation? "Kind of hard to catch a glimpse when we don't really know what we're looking for." Unless this truly was Greer, the only explanation that made sense at times but at others...well, Carmen didn't know.

[reinaazarolla]

Having settled on the outskirts of the crowd, Reina was bobbing her head to the music. When was tonight going to end, she thought to herself wishing G would just do whatever it is they planned to do so they could all move on with their lives. "I only think one person might notice." She turned to Carmen, "And we wouldn't want them to find that we dipped out on this awesome rave." She emphasized the word 'awesome' with sarcasm. "Are you feeling daring? Are you actually trying to leave? I'd love to, if i'm being honest, but seems like I'd miss on an opportunity to maybe catch a glimpse of G." It was wishful thinking, very wishful, G was careful and in a crowd like this it would have to be extreme luck for them to be caught.

Who: Reina Azarolla. When: Saturday, May 6th - Sunday, May 7th. Where: The Rave.

Between the music and the lights, it's hard to truly pick up on anything, to follow any one person let alone know the entirety of what's going on. It's what makes this entire thing all the more nerve wracking, unsure if whatever bomb was going to drop would be apparent or falling in the shadows, dangers occurring just under their noses and all of them completely unaware. "So..." She's spent her time slipping among the crowd, moving from one person to the next, attempting to distract herself from those very thoughts when she slides in next to Reina, an expression on her face that intends to remain serious faltered by the quirk of her lips. "What are the chances anyone really notices if we sneak out now?" Anyone meaning mainly G, the one and only concern in that moment.

@reinaazarolla