#character: alejandra solano.

[verdadurmaz]

location — the sweet spot.

character — @alesolcno

For the longest of times, the baker had absolutely no clue as to what she was supposed to do in life. Her attempt at university had left her bitter and unsure of herself. Baton Rouge had been a game of staying afloat. She'd taken odd job after odd job until landing herself in another bakery. It was much different than that of which she'd grown up in, but she learned up until another bitter end rolled around and she was left running once more. OnlyFans had never been something she'd meant to last, but when the money came through, she hadn't been able to resist. Bills were paid and it gave her the chance to think on what she wanted. The food truck had been an impulse buy to say the least, but every moment after had been a path forged with confidence. A path that Alejandra had been privy to years ago. A path that the woman had been supportive of and one that now felt full circle as she stood near the counter in the bakery storefront she'd always wondered about. Excitement danced in the pit of her stomach, doubling at the greeting of the door bell at the front. While the sign read closed, she'd given the invite personally and waited with a bated breath for the other to agree. "It's a step up from the truck. I thought I'd give you a tour of the place. Are you hungry? I've got leftovers from the day."

[atlaswilliams]

location — deja brew, university heights.

character — @alesolcno

As a man who'd ghosted too many people to count, he figured that karma had showed itself in the form of Mariana. She'd taken his world by adventurous storm and in the end, had only used him. At least, it was the very thing he'd convinced himself of after coming home to find a family heirloom missing, along with a few other items that had been laying around for her taking. Had that always been the plan? He'd wondered since the moment his fifth text had gone unanswered and after so much time in between... to finally get that? How could anyone pass that up? He'd given simple directions. Deja Brew, window seat, seven pm. He watched as the time illuminated on his car screen turned over to ten past seven. His white knuckle grip loosened on the steering wheel and with a deep inhale, he went for his door handle and ignored the pounding in his chest. The welcoming chime above his head did little to ease the tension flowing through his veins. One sweep around the space revealed only one solo woman sitting by the window, but the brunette sitting in wait wasn't the one he'd been expecting. "Excuse me, have you seen anyone else sitting by the window in the past ten minutes or so? I'm supposed to be meeting someone," he nervously explained, though a sinking feeling stirred in his stomach. Had she ghosted him again? Played a cruel game for the sake of seeing if he'd show?

[atlaswilliams]

He walked a fine line most days, but not everything in his life had fallen apart. He had good things too, but as a man who often let things weigh too heavily on himself, it was the bad that often threatened to consume him whole.

Bighorn Hills, especially the private drive that snaked up to the rescue and then eventually his parents home, was quiet. His own branched off road was barely touched by anyone other than himself, Kenny, or the mothers of his children, but it wasn't defying odds when a friend pulled up on a whim.

Aurora, his year old and some change husky mix, alerted him of the arrival of a car in the gravel driveway. Brows pinched together, but he wrote it off as nothing more than a friend stopping by, or someone lost on their way to the rescue.

A smile hung off his mouth as he opened the door, the pounding at it's wooden frame not setting him off until he glanced down at the woman on the other side of it. The smile he'd worn faded away in instant, replaced by his own look of annoyance mixed with confusion.

What had he done to her?

"What are you talking about? She stole from me," he countered angrily. Was this part of her con? Stealing things and having another come back for more? "I walked away for a reason. You texted me off her phone and for what? There's not much here that would be worth your time."

Rather than caving and allowing the woman into his home, he stepped onto the porch and tugged the door shut behind him. Thankfully, his children weren't there.

"What the fuck do you want from me anyway? I don't know where she is, but I know I don't trust her. Maybe you shouldn't either."

@alesolcno

— characters: ale & atlas — setting: atlas's house, bighorn hills — partner: @atlaswilliams

When it came down to it there was a name that had kept coming up whenever she riffled through Mari's things, each time with the hope something she hadn't noticed before would pop out at her, and that was Atlas Williams.

Their meeting at the café, if one could call the short exchange that the suspect had walked out on that, had only left the photographer feeling even more twisted up. He got angry for the setup, wouldn't listen to anything she had to say, and then stormed out. The exchanges the brunette had read in the texts between Atlas and Mariana made her stomach turn with unease as the brief confrontation played back over and over in her head.

Not only that, but Khalil had given Ale a file on things his contacts had looked into. As a favor. Which, was a completely separate concern, because why would a café owner have those sorts of contacts? In that information were phone records and geolocations.

Before her disappearance there was a lot of contact with Atlas. Calls and texts, sure, the phone number was easily recognizable. Upon lookup of one of the geolocations the property name was under, you guessed it, Atlas Williams.

Infuriated, feeling as though she'd found her guy and he'd slipped away from her once, Ale stupidly got in her car alone and drove out to Bighorn Hills. To a potential kidnapper and/or murderers house.

Really, there was no time to call anyone.

Did she technically have anyone she could call anyway?

The car came to a halt as the Arizona native slammed on the brakes in front of the house on the outskirts of town. Ale practically flung herself from the vehicle and raced up to the front door where she pounded on it as hard as her heart was banging against her chest.

When the door opened, she shouted, "what did you do to her?"

[providencepeakrp]

A day full of love has mysterious ways of pulling people together; whether that's in friendship, romance, or complete strangers being in the right place at the right time. The interactions someone may have on the greatest day of love has the opportunity to influence them for a lifetime. This is your chance. Take it. Have that interaction with someone you may have never met before or maybe someone you haven't spoked to in a long time. Experience a day full of love.

Details of the Task:

This task was designed for characters to interact with others whom they may not have interacted with before. The pairings between characters were generated using an online randomizer and then again randomized to link that pairing with a Valentine's Day related word. This task is REQUIRED. Members are asked to reach out to their match and plot a thread based on the random word they were given. * If a member is on hiatus, threads may be granted an extension. Admins will be in contact with those members.

Francesca Shen ♥ Thea Harris - Other Half

Yasemin Dogan ♥ Atlas Williams - Red

Kennedy Davis ♥ Roman Daniels - Arrow

Maya Lee ♥ Lorelai Tseng - Precious

Dean Adulyadej ♥ Elijah Falvey - Embrace

Lena Yener ♥ Zuri Hendrix - Poem

Jacob Lee ♥ Carla Villanueva - Flowers

Rachel Hargrove ♥ Aysel Karademir - Soulmates

Emeline Cormier ♥ Hyunwoo Seong - Candy

Cheyenne O'Hara ♥ Dylan Westwick - Cupid

Alicia Miller-Garcia ♥ Sara Yoon-Castillo - Valentine

Dilan Barak ♥ Aslihan Fahri-Bailey - Champagne

Abel Thompson ♥ Derek Aranda - Rose

Phoebe Yates ♥ Ayla Ceylin - Lucky

Maximiliano Cortez ♥ Wesley Kennedy - Diamond

Joshua Lincoln ♥ Tyler Singh - Passion

Verda Durmaz ♥ Sebastian Vora - Love Letter

Remi Wilder ♥ Ingrid Lozano - Kiss

CJ Welford ♥ Leila Barak - Lovebirds

Sophia Ramirez ♥ Jeanette Prabhakar - Everlasting

Esther Clements ♥ Zeynep Türkmen - Dinner

Matty Foster ♥ Elliot Chapman - Chocolate

Daniel Torres ♥ Khalil Hassan - Dance

Alejandra Solano ♥ Theo Bailey - Candles

Erol Tilki ♥ Freddie Crane - Marriage

Sage Franklin ♥ Jesse El-Massalamy - Celebration

[crimsoncityhq]

While the night is far from quiet, what with all of the costumed patrons milling about the lobby and rubbing elbows on a too-crowded bench, it is peaceful. It’s been at least an hour of carefree mingling, and the only inconvenience anyone has found thus far is the guy dressed as H.H. Holmes being a little too method in his acting, stalking around amongst the crowd before disappearing the moment you see his blur in your periphery. Those who haven’t indulged in the open bar serving jello shots downstairs have likely opted to wait until after their tour through the undoubtedly haunted house, while others nurse their flasks and plead with whatever cosmic force they believe ( or don’t believe ) in that the line will shuffle a touch more quickly so they can black out for the night. 

Fortunately for the impatient, a handful of groups are called to enter their respective rooms, though instead of enjoying the night with the ones who came here on their arms, they’re suited with a handful of strangers, acquaintances, and enemies. Now isn’t the time to brandish your weapons—let’s call it a truce for Halloween. Each group is assigned a specific room, and, satisfied with their groupings or not, they press forward. At first glance, no room looks any different than what you’d expect, maybe more void of furniture and spooky decor than ideal for the holiday which revolves around that sort of thing, but for once, it appears the night may go smoothly. Until the doors lock behind them. 

Part II of the Halloween Murder Castle event has begun ! Your characters are assigned to a group, which then are assigned to rooms. It is up to you and your groupmates how they will survive the obstacles hindering the exit—but be warned; there’s an imposter in your midst. Someone in your group, who agreed to what they now realize is a test of their wit and strength, may opt to take the selfish way out and preserve their own life over the lives of their teammates. Imposters, determine whether you will prioritize yourself or your group to escape each room. Good luck !

This event will last until 9 PM EST on NOVEMBER 3RD, 2020. Under the cut are your group assignments, plus room assignments. PLEASE collaborate with your groupmates to determine how your characters will solve their rooms and make their escape. If you have any questions, always feel free to reach out ! Happy Halloween !

GROUPS

GROUP #1: Alejandra Ruiz, Beau Griveaud, Marie-Anne Beaulieu, and Wren Lucas are in ROOM 19. (BARBED)

GROUP #2: Nova Deveraux, Orion Andersen, Ivy Ivashkov, and Rahi Kumar are in ROOM 24. (CHALICE)

GROUP #3: Addison McKinnley,Veronica Pierce, Maite DeLeon, Blythe Sweetwine are in ROOM 7. (BANSHEE)

GROUP #4: Aries “Rhys” Rigsby, Cassidy Faust, Barnaby Eaton, Vitomir Kipriyanov are in ROOM 12. (DESCENT) 

GROUP #5: Charlotte “Charlie” Arden, Marissa Atkinson, Levi Bohan, and Jean Jacque Baptiste De Romanet are in ROOM 20. (CLOSURE)

GROUP #6: Armande Ivashkov, Jessika Delmonico, and Josephine “Josie” Leon are in ROOM 30. (TUNDRA)

GROUP #7: Oakley Butler, Birdie Mendoza, Harlow Dumas, and Andrew “Drew”Whitemore are in ROOM 16. (ELEVATOR) 

GROUP #8: Zoe Washington, Jesse Valencia, Logan Walsh, and Effie Faust in ROOM 4. (TUNDRA) 

GROUP #9: Katarina Vasile, Saskia Vasile, Genevieve Basset, Callan Quinn in ROOM 14. (VOLTAGE)

GROUP #10: Taron Lynch, Rosalie Halliday, Tyson Kane, and Andrea “Andy” Perez are in ROOM 18. (MIRRORS)

GROUP #11: Sutton James, Juno Song, Oisin Donnelly, and Violet Madden are in ROOM 11. (CLOSURE)

GROUP #12: Billie Washington, Leo Vasile, Erin Cerci, and Milo Arrington are in ROOM 15. (BARBED)

GROUP #13: Liam Walsh, Audric Noire, Monika Adler, and Angelo Faust are in ROOM 10. (EXHALE)

GROUP #14: Braden Kahale, Gwen Arnolds, and Audrey Rousseau are in ROOM 5. (OVEN)

GROUP #15: Wyatt Leon, Ariela Leon, Fabian Drake Kalashnyk, and Milicent Washington are in ROOM 31. (KEY)

GROUP #16: Maisie Kane, Linus Arnolds, Sasha Ivanov, and Lev Vasile are in ROOM 17. (TAR)

GROUP #17: Lorelai Faust, Oliver Faust, Anastasia Sahin, and Glenda Ray are in ROOM 8. (FLASH )

GROUP #18: Konstantin Vasile, Fletcher Hargrave, Igor Vasile, and Cecilia Cavendish are in ROOM 23. (VOLTAGE) 

GROUP #19: Abel Washington, Zane Washington, Holden Mercer, and Nadia James are in ROOM 25. (OCEAN)

GROUP #20: Autumn Dawson , Olivia Madden,  and Auron Wright are in ROOM 21. (VIEW)

GROUP #21: Anatayla Vasile, Killian Walsh, Hana Faust, and Caoilainn “Callie” Walsh are in ROOM 2. (OCEAN)

GROUP #22: Atticus Mercer, Carrigan Connolly, Viktoriya Vasile, and Alejandro ‘Jano’ Solano are in ROOM 22. (HOURGLASS)

GROUP #23: Catriona O’Shea, Joey O’Shea, Lee Malkovich, and Lavrentii ‘Lav’ Vasile are in ROOM 3. (VIEW)

GROUP #24: Lincoln Dawson, Ira Evans, Rosalia Leon, and Amara Ricci are in ROOM 27. (EXHALE)

GROUP #25: Letitia ‘Tia’ Valentine, Teddy Cohen, Layla Jiminez, and Mikhail Morosov are in ROOM 1. (PIT)

GROUP #26: Noah Etkin, Blair Faust, Stefano Vittori, and Mathias Attano are in ROOM 6. (HOURGLASS)

GROUP #27: Callum James, Faith Williams, and Dominika Romanov are in ROOM 26. (MIRRORS)

GROUP #28: Jackson Martson, Anton Volkov, Lada Antonovna, and Arlo Flores are in ROOM 29. (TAR)

GROUP #29: Diamond Washington, Darren Murphy, Zedekiah “Zed” Vasile, and Esmeray Demir are in ROOM 9. (CHALICE)

GROUP #30: David Sharpe and Edith Cohen are in ROOM 28. (BANSHEE)

GROUP #31: Caroline Shepherd, Nicholas Krieger, Christine Lin, and Constansia Fournier are in ROOM 13. (KEY)

ROOMS

ROOM 1 — THE PIT

SUMMARY: You and your fellow group members enter the room, and it seems relatively normal, if not a touch boring. The walls are a sleek chrome with a matching floor and ceiling, and the only thing that stands out is an ornate door opposite from—and identical to—the one you entered through. You try it, but it doesn’t open, and the door you just came through suddenly decides not to open either. Then, you feel the tremble, and the center of the floor begins to open up into an abyss lined with jagged glass, and metal, and everything else that screams tetanus. In the center of the new floor is a pedestal, and atop the pedestal is a key—surely the way out.  CHALLENGE: You and your teammates must find a way to retrieve the key before the floor fully gives way and engulfs all of you. How you do this is up to your own discretion, but you’d better count on some injuries. 

ROOM 2 — THE OCEAN

SUMMARY: You and your fellow group members enter the room, which is devoid of any furniture, and, well, much of anything, really, besides what looks like a hatch on the ceiling. Oddly enough, the walls look like glass—or some version of it—though they’re not as breakable as they seem when you rap your knuckles against them. For the first minute or so, you’re confused, but then a pipe creaks somewhere overhead, and water bubbles up from under your feet. You all realize it at once—the room is filling up fast, and the door you entered through is deadbolted. You’re trapped in here.  CHALLENGE: Find a way out of the room before the water reaches the ceiling. You’ll only have about twenty-five minutes to determine which part of what wall is breakable enough to escape through. Alternatively, you can test your swimming skills—and gamble with what’s left of your oxygen—to get the hatch on the ceiling open. It will take all of you, so no matter your allegiance, it’s imperative you work together.

ROOM 3 — THE VIEW

SUMMARY: This room is not what it appears—it’s decorated floor-to-ceiling like the streets of France, complete with a gaudy painting of the Eiffel Tower, street lamps and mannequins in period clothing. It’s beautiful, and a far cry from scary—that is, until you start to lose your breath standing in place. At first you wonder what’s wrong with you, until you realize your partner’s breath is becoming ragged and wheezy, too. It strikes you a second too late; the oxygen is being removed from this room little by little, and suddenly the breathtaking view makes sense. ( What a horrible pun, eh ? ) You’ll suffocate if you stay in here any longer, so it’s up to you and the rest of your teammates to find the exit.  CHALLENGE: The door you entered through is locked, so weave your way through the “street” to find the other exit. You should know it’s locked, too, so you’ll have to work together to find the key. It could be in a flower pot, it could be inside the skull of a mannequin—but if you don’t find it, this cheap version of Paris is the last thing you’ll ever see. 

ROOM 4 — THE TUNDRA

SUMMARY: The moment you cross the threshold of this room, you feel the drop in temperature, and the door falls shut behind you. The moment you turn for it, you realize it’s jammed, and your only choice is to get comfortable. You look around, your eyes wandering across the painting hung ceiling-to-floor on the walls and wonder how many of them are watching you back. For the minute or so you stand in place, you feel the temperature get somehow lower. Those around you seem to notice the same thing, and the epiphany strikes at once—someone is freezing you into the room.  CHALLENGE: There is a locked door on the opposite wall that is surely your exit. Collaborate with your teammates to find the key inside the paintings before the room freezes over. You only have fifteen or so minutes to leave the room. 

ROOM 5 — THE OVEN

SUMMARY: The room you enter with your teammates is an obnoxious white, and the lights seem a little too bright for anyone’s liking. It’s also warm enough to have anyone shedding an extra layer, and the longer you explore the room the hotter it becomes, as if you’re baking alive. The realization hits you all at the same time, but the exit at the end of the room won’t budge. A voice over the speaker above you—was that there before ?—urges you to sacrifice one member to the room.  CHALLENGE: You must decide who will stay behind so the others can escape. If you choose the correct imposter, you may leave the room, thus sacrificing the imposter to the room.

ROOM 6 — THE HOURGLASS 

SUMMARY: This room looks relatively average at first—you toddle in a couple of steps, and it doesn’t seem particularly out of the ordinary, save for the junk pile stationed in the corner of the room. You think it might be a prop closet, but when you feel the first trickle of—is that sand ?—sweep over you, there’s suddenly a weight in your gut. The room is filling up with it, and in the center of the junk pile sits an hourglass that dwindles down in sync. You’ll be buried in the next twenty minutes if you don’t find a way to escape. CHALLENGE: You turn to the door you just entered through and realize there’s a keypad you may use to unlock it from the inside. Now all you have to do is find the four-digit code ( and the order in which to input it ) separately hidden in the junk pile to escape. Just don’t take too long.

ROOM 7 — THE BANSHEE

SUMMARY: Nothing seems out of the ordinary in this room, save for the padded walls and the giant, creepy painting of the man of the hour—H.H. Holmes—on the opposite side of the entrance. You get a brief look at the room, the four buttons on the floor, the fine china lining the shelves on the walls, before the room goes dark. The floor trembles beneath your feet, and sure, it’s a little campy with the filtered-in gunfire, but then the sounds get louder, and louder, and louder. You can hardly listen to it without physically wincing, and there’s no doubt the looming possibility of hearing damage, not to mention loss. You can practically feel your eardrums beginning to drip—you have to get out of here. CHALLENGE: You have to escape the room to avoid causing irreparable damage by searching with your teammates in the dark for the buttons you saw earlier. Find all four buttons, then press them simultaneously to pop open the painting, which doubles as an exit. If you don’t get out, someone will get you out, but they’ll be far less welcoming than a few loud noises.

ROOM 8 — THE FLASH

SUMMARY: In this room, all of the empty walls are a stark white, almost hard to look at when you first enter. The lights above your head are bright enough to radiate heat, and you can already see colors swirling in your vision. The floor pulses in a pattern, lighting up red like a guide to the exit on the other side of the room. Before you take the first step, the lights flash brighter, so much so the whole room melts into a blur in front of your eyes. You take a moment to get your bearings, then blink away the moisture spawning at your lash line. When you open your eyes again, the room is back to normal, but the pattern on the floor has changed.  CHALLENGE: You and your teammates must navigate the floor tiles before the room resets. If you simply approach the door, it will remain locked, and the puzzle will simply reset. The longer you’re in this room and exposing yourself to the flashes, the more likely you are to leave with permanent damage to your retinas. Also, you’d better work quickly, because that ticking sound underneath your shoes probably isn’t a good sign. 

ROOM 9 — THE CHALICE

SUMMARY: This room, compared to its predecessors, is pretty tame—the four walls are a dark velvet with a golden table in the center. On the table are a set of four chalices, each more ornate than the last. The voice that plays on a loop overhead establishes the rules; choose who will drink from which chalice, but be warned: three of them are poisoned, and only one holds an antidote. Determine who will be sacrificed to which chalice. To escape this room, everyone must take a drink.  CHALLENGE: There’s no way around it—no one is leaving this room until each chalice is sampled. Each member will have to sample their assigned chalice, and only time will tell who has the antidote. There is a possibility of exiting the room alive if the one left standing can evenly portion the antidote.

ROOM 10 — THE EXHALE

SUMMARY: As you enter the room, you instantly recognize the theme of charred remains, with a splintered set of dining chairs and the matching table, peeling wallpaper, and singed curtains decorating the walls that wrap around you. It even smells like smoke in here, and the longer you wander around the still smoking debris, the more saturated the atmosphere becomes. Soon, you and the other occupants of the room begin to cough, and you realize it’s not your imagination that’s making the air thicker—it’s the vent leaking a grey cloud into the room. CHALLENGE: The door at the far end of the room must be opened with a code, and you must find the code scattered among the debris. You’ll find four numbers in total stamped on various items—input the numbers in the correct order to escape the room.

ROOM 11 — THE CLOSURE

SUMMARY: You and your group step through the door into a room bare of anything as far as the eyes can see. After everyone is inside the door locks behind you and the small bits of confetti fall from the ceiling as a warm distraction. You missed the different patterns on the ground of your feet. CHALLENGE: The walls start to close in on your and the group. You notice the door in the opposite direction get crushed as the walls inch closer. You must solve the puzzle to get out of the room before the walls make you a Chicago style pancake.

ROOM 12 — THE DESCENT

SUMMARY: Everything about this room when you and your group enters seems mundane. An old fashioned study is stocked with bookcases against both walls. An old fashioned globe with a mini bar inside of it lays in the center.The door locks behind you, but then you take a glance to the ceiling and notice the sinister sleek metal inching towards you. CHALLENGE: The ceiling in the room starts to lower. You must locate the key to get out of the room in time to not be flattened.

ROOM 13 — THE KEY

SUMMARY: You and your group enter a moderately furnished room. Some small chairs, a small children’s desk, among other mundane objects like pencils and pens. A few books that are on the desk. In the center of the room is where your vision is drawn to a circular crater that holds an overabundance of keys. With a glance you can wager that the key to open the door across from you is within this pit.  CHALLENGE: A ticking above your heads alarms you to the fact that there are wired explosives ahead that are counting down. You must locate the correct key among dozens of faux ones. However, if you take too long the explosives will go off.

ROOM 14 — THE VOLTAGE

SUMMARY: Once you enter the room a soft breeze touches your face. You and your group take notice after the door locks behind you that the room is covered with different paintings of a cloudy sky. Lightning bolts painted on several places in the room scattered from wall to wall. Up above on the ceiling are shapes that seem to have formed grey clouds. All you’re missing is a nice cup of warm drink and a chair to leisure in.  CHALLENGE: At first you feel it, and you hear the zap. Small bits of electricity shoot up your leg, and then it grows worse and worse. As if someone has turned on the electric chair for everyone in the room. You must locate the key to get out of the other door. 

ROOM 15 — THE BARBED WIRE

SUMMARY: You and your group enter a room that you would have thought was created in a horror movie flick. From the ceiling to barely above the ground are barbed wire. The door is on the other side that will grant you the way out. That is if the barbed obstacle doesn’t grapple any of you first.  CHALLENGE: You will need to get to the other side of the room through the barbed wires. Then you will be able to exit out the door, but you might want to be mindful not to become a mangled livestock on the conquest to escape.

ROOM 16 — THE ELEVATOR

SUMMARY: You and your group enter what you think is a normal room. However, once the regular door closes it locks. The room itself moves, and you’re presented with an elevator door in front of you. The keypad shows the different levels of the castle to the right, and there’s even a counter on the floors above the locked elevator door in front of everyone.  THE CHALLENGE: The room goes between dropping at an alarming rate to rising upwards quickly. There’s no end in sight no matter what buttons you press on it.  The elevator doesn’t stop on any floors. The group will need to figure out a way to disable the power inside the elevator and escape out the ceiling of it. But be careful it’s a finicky machine. 

ROOM 17 — THE TAR

SUMMARY: The darkness captures you and your fellow group members at first. There is a light switch in this room that buzzes a dim cheap light onto the ground. Once everyone shuffles in you notice that the ground you step on is black, thick, and sticky. Black tar coats the ground of the room, and you notice it on the mediocre furniture that adorns it. A makeshift map with pins and faces of H.H. Holmes’s alleged victims are strawn out. You can take a breather or two, but then. THE CHALLENGE: The mechanic clink is heard around the room as panel boards slide apart. Through these panels projectiles are aimed into the room. Arrows & darts fly towards the group. Normally these would be easy to dodge, but you are stuck in place. You must work to get to the exit door on the other side of the room.

ROOM 18 — THE MIRRORS 

SUMMARY: You and your fellow group members enter the room, the room is empty of furniture. Visibly on the roof are cogs and attached to them are large thick mirrors. The end isn’t in sight for anyone to see, and the only thing that looks back at you is your multiple reflections. The walls are lost and you swear they’re mirrors themselves. You can’t shake the feeling that you’re being watched. Are these two-way mirrors? CHALLENGE: The mirrors move with each step in a manner as if to smash or crush the opponent. The movements of them are precise and you can almost feel yourself being enclosed into a box of mirrors that gets smaller. The objective is to make it out of the reflective maze in one piece.

ROOM 19 — THE BARBED WIRE

SUMMARY: You and your group enter a room that you would have thought was created in a horror movie flick. From the ceiling to barely above the ground are barbed wire. The door is on the other side that will grant you the way out. That is if the barbed obstacle doesn’t grapple any of you first.  CHALLENGE: You will need to get to the other side of the room through the barbed wires. Then you will be able to exit out the door, but you might want to be mindful not to become a mangled livestock on the conquest to escape.

ROOM 20 — THE CLOSURE

SUMMARY: You and your group step through the door into a room bare of anything as far as the eyes can see. After everyone is inside the door locks behind you and the small bits of confetti fall from the ceiling as a warm distraction. You missed the different patterns on the ground of your feet. CHALLENGE: The walls start to close in on your and the group. You notice the door in the opposite direction get crushed as the walls inch closer. You must solve the puzzle to get out of the room before the walls make you a Chicago style pancake.

ROOM 21 — THE VIEW

SUMMARY: This room is not what it appears—it’s decorated floor-to-ceiling like the streets of France, complete with a gaudy painting of the Eiffel Tower, streetlamps and mannequins in period clothing. It’s beautiful, and a far cry from scary—that is, until you start to lose your breath standing in place. At first you wonder what’s wrong with you, until you realize your partner’s breath is becoming ragged and wheezy, too. It strikes you a second too late; the oxygen is being removed from this room little by little, and suddenly the breathtaking view makes sense. ( What a horrible pun, eh ? ) You’ll suffocate if you stay in here any longer, so it’s up to you and the rest of your teammates to find the exit.  CHALLENGE: The door you entered through is locked, so weave your way through the “street” to find the other exit. You should know it’s locked, too, so you’ll have to work together to find the key. It could be in a flower pot, it could be inside the skull of a mannequin—but if you don’t find it, this cheap version of Paris is the last thing you’ll ever see. 

ROOM 22 — THE HOURGLASS 

SUMMARY: This room looks relatively average at first—you toddle in a couple of steps, and it doesn’t seem particularly out of the ordinary, save for the junk pile stationed in the corner of the room. You think it might be a prop closet, but when you feel the first trickle of—is that sand ?—sweep over you, there’s suddenly a weight in your gut. The room is filling up with it, and in the center of the junk pile sits an hourglass that dwindles down in sync. You’ll be buried in the next twenty minutes if you don’t find a way to escape. CHALLENGE: You turn to the door you just entered through and realize there’s a keypad you may use to unlock it from the inside. Now all you have to do is find the four-digit code ( and the order in which to input it ) separately hidden in the junk pile to escape. Just don’t take too long.

ROOM 23 — THE VOLTAGE

SUMMARY: Once you enter the room a soft breeze touches your face. You and your group take notice after the door locks behind you that the room is covered with different paintings of a cloudy sky. Lightning bolts painted on several places in the room scattered from wall to wall. Up above on the ceiling are shapes that seem to have formed grey clouds. All you’re missing is a nice cup of warm drink and a chair to leisure in.  CHALLENGE: At first you feel it, and you hear the zap. Small bits of electricity shoot up your leg, and then it grows worse and worse. As if someone has turned on the electric chair for everyone in the room. You must locate the key to get out of the other door. 

ROOM 24 — THE CHALICE

SUMMARY: This room, compared to its predecessors, is pretty tame—the four walls are a dark velvet with a golden table in the center. On the table are a set of four chalices, each more ornate than the last. The voice that plays on a loop overhead establishes the rules; choose who will drink from which chalice, but be warned: three of them are poisoned, and only one holds an antidote. Determine who will be sacrificed to which chalice. To escape this room, everyone must take a drink.  CHALLENGE: There’s no way around it—no one is leaving this room until each chalice is sampled. Each member will have to sample their assigned chalice, and only time will tell who has the antidote. There is a possibility of exiting the room alive if the one left standing can evenly portion the antidote.

 ROOM 25 — THE OCEAN

SUMMARY: You and your fellow group members enter the room, which is devoid of any furniture, and, well, much of anything, really, besides what looks like a hatch on the ceiling. Oddly enough, the walls look like glass—or some version of it—though they’re not as breakable as they seem when you rap your knuckles against them. For the first minute or so, you’re confused, but then a pipe creaks somewhere overhead, and water bubbles up from under your feet. You all realize it at once—the room is filling up fast, and the door you entered through is deadbolted. You’re trapped in here.  CHALLENGE: Find a way out of the room before the water reaches the ceiling. You’ll only have about twenty-five minutes to determine which part of what wall is breakable enough to escape through. Alternatively, you can test your swimming skills—and gamble with what’s left of your oxygen—to get the hatch on the ceiling open. It will take all of you, so no matter your allegiance, it’s imperative you work together.

ROOM 26 — THE MIRRORS 

SUMMARY: You and your fellow group members enter the room, the room is empty of furniture. Visibly on the roof are cogs and attached to them are large thick mirrors. The end isn’t in sight for anyone to see, and the only thing that looks back at you is your multiple reflections. The walls are lost and you swear they’re mirrors themselves. You can’t shake the feeling that you’re being watched. Are these two-way mirrors? CHALLENGE: The mirrors move with each step in a manner as if to smash or crush the opponent. The movements of them are precise and you can almost feel yourself being enclosed into a box of mirrors that gets smaller. The objective is to make it out of the reflective maze in one piece.

ROOM 27 — THE EXHALE

SUMMARY: As you enter the room, you instantly recognize the theme of charred remains, with a splintered set of dining chairs and the matching table, peeling wallpaper, and singed curtains decorating the walls that wrap around you. It even smells like smoke in here, and the longer you wander around the still smoking debris, the more saturated the atmosphere becomes. Soon, you and the other occupants of the room begin to cough, and you realize it’s not your imagination that’s making the air thicker—it’s the vent leaking a grey cloud into the room.  CHALLENGE: The door at the far end of the room must be opened with a code, and you must find the code scattered among the debris. You’ll find four numbers in total stamped on various items—input the numbers in the correct order to escape the room.

ROOM 28 — THE BANSHEE

SUMMARY: Nothing seems out of the ordinary in this room, save for the padded walls and the giant, creepy painting of the man of the hour—H.H. Holmes—on the opposite side of the entrance. You get a brief look at the room, the four buttons on the floor, the fine china lining the shelves on the walls, before the room goes dark. The floor trembles beneath your feet, and sure, it’s a little campy with the filtered-in gunfire, but then the sounds get louder, and louder, and louder. You can hardly listen to it without physically wincing, and there’s no doubt the looming possibility of hearing damage, not to mention loss. You can practically feel your eardrums beginning to drip—you have to get out of here. CHALLENGE: You have to escape the room to avoid causing irreparable damage by searching with your teammates in the dark for the buttons you saw earlier. Find all four buttons, then press them simultaneously to pop open the painting, which doubles as an exit. If you don’t get out, someone will get you out, but they’ll be far less welcoming than a few loud noises.

ROOM 29 — THE TAR

SUMMARY: The darkness captures you and your fellow group members at first. There is a light switch in this room that buzzes a dim cheap light onto the ground. Once everyone shuffles in you notice that the ground you step on is black, thick, and sticky. Black tar coats the ground of the room, and you notice it on the mediocre furniture that adorns it. A makeshift map with pins and faces of H.H. Holmes’s alleged victims are strawn out. You can take a breather or two, but then. THE CHALLENGE: The mechanic clink is heard around the room as panel boards slide apart. Through these panels projectiles are aimed into the room. Arrows & darts fly towards the group. Normally these would be easy to dodge, but you are stuck in place. You must work to get to the exit door on the other side of the room.

ROOM 30 — THE TUNDRA

SUMMARY: The moment you cross the threshold of this room, you feel the drop in temperature, and the door falls shut behind you. The moment you turn for it, you realize it’s jammed, and your only choice is to get comfortable. You look around, your eyes wandering across the painting hung ceiling-to-floor on the walls and wonder how many of them are watching you back. For the minute or so you stand in place, you feel the temperature get somehow lower. Those around you seem to notice the same thing, and the epiphany strikes at once—someone is freezing you into the room.  CHALLENGE: There is a locked door on the opposite wall that is surely your exit. Collaborate with your teammates to find the key inside the paintings before the room freezes over. You only have fifteen or so minutes to leave the room. 

ROOM 31 — THE KEY

SUMMARY: You and your group enter a moderately furnished room. Some small chairs, a small children’s desk, among other mundane objects like pencils and pens. A few books that are on the desk. In the center of the room is where your vision is drawn to a circular crater that holds an overabundance of keys. With a glance you can wager that the key to open the door across from you is within this pit.  CHALLENGE:  A ticking above your heads alarms you to the fact that there are wired explosives ahead that are counting down. You must locate the correct key among dozens of faux ones. However, if you take too long the explosives will go off.

[bscene]

EAR TO STAY!

I first met Marco Aurelio Solano at Atelier 3 (the since shuttered Hollywood java joint). Marco was invaluable as the sound engineer for both massively successful Richie Cole jazz shows as well as Misty Eyez command drag performance at the aforementioned venue.

A recent graduate of the University of New Haven, Marco now calls South Florida home and he’s hit the ground running.

Marco’s music/sound engineering skills have found him a permanent gig with Wild House Pictures. He’s worked with Grammy winning songstress Olga Tañon, Guitarist Miguel González and Venezuelan rock band Caramelos de Cianuro.

That Marco is fluent in both Spanish and English has much to do with his ability to work the multicultural mosaic that defines the character of South Florida.

Marco has made his mark in Hollywood collaborating with award winning recording artist Reverend Javen, the band ZETA, songstress Moran Levi and Audacity Recording Studios (2734 Polk Street).

The kid keeps busy and his talents are in high demand. That he has worked at famed Electric Lady Studios in New York City is just another arrow in his growing quiver of conquests.

At a recent sit down at The Tipsy Boar (1906 Harrison St.), the wunderkind advised the writer that his current projects include producing the upcoming Paola Rodriquez album, contributing to the Alejandra Jimenez album and running sound for the film “La Diva and the Astronaut” directed by Angel Barroeta.

The Hip Hamlet of Hollywood is lucky to have such talent arrive on our shore!

[architectnews]

Lima Convention Centre: LCC Peru

Lima Convention Centre Peru, LCC Building, Peruvian Architecture

Lima Convention Centre (LCC)

2 August 2020

Lima Convention Centre Building

Design: IDOM

Location: Lima, Peru, South America

Lima Convention Centre Building – LCC

Cliente Constructora OAS, Sucursal del Perú

Área 86.000 m² Fecha 2015-16

The project and construction of the Lima Convention Centre (LCC) is contextualized by the agreement between the Peruvian State and the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to hold in Lima the 2015 Board of Governors. The Peruvian State saw this event as an opportunity to extend and improve the congressional infrastructure available in the capital of Peru.

Strategically located in the Cultural Centre of the Nation (CCN) – next to the National Museum, the Ministry of Education, the new headquarters of the National Bank or the Huaca San Borja – the design of the LCC was to satisfy four strategic objectives: being a cultural and economic motor for the country, representing a meeting place at the heart of the city enrooted in the collective Peruvian culture, turning into a unique, flexible and technologically advanced architectonic landmark and finally, triggering the urban transformation of the CNN and its surroundings.

The near 15,000 m2 of net area correspond to the 18 multipurpose convention halls, their sizes and proportions varying from 3,500 m2 to 100 m2, which allow for up to 10,000 people to attend simultaneous events. The rest of the programme is completed by four underground car-park floors as well as several uses above ground that complement the conference rooms. These would include areas for translation and general management of the centre, stockrooms and toilets, workshops and areas for maintenance and material distribution, kitchens and dining areas, exhibition halls, cafeterias and relaxation areas. This all generates a total built up area of 86,000 m2.

Its strategic location grants the LCC the possibility of becoming an urban landmark, thanks to its community-building capacity. Both the general implantation and the disposition of entrances and programme allow for the people of Lima to make almost the entire facility theirs with a certain degree of liberty, particularly the ground floor. In this way, the project contributes to enhance and unify the urban area of the CCN, revitalizing the current Comercio Street – natural link with the underground – and reinforcing its pedestrian and civic character, which in the near future will be baptized Culture Boulevard.

The general volume is organized into three time-physical strata clearly differentiated, symbolically related to the country’s history, time and memory:

– The present is represented by the great internal void – Nation Rooms – which harbours the two transformable rooms of about 1,800 m2, one of which can open up entirely to the city by clearing its perimeter of the acoustics panels that make it up, generating a sheltered urban plaza over 2,500 m2.

– The past, the heart of the project, is an outdoor area inspired by a great huaca – Lima Lounge – generated naturally by the disposition and the difference in height of the convention halls.

– The future is a great vitreous volume – International Room of Nations. It’s a highly technical conventions facility which invites the rest of the world to come to Peru for its entrepreneurial capacity and its promising future.

Both the construction methods and the materials used on the different elevations of the building – glass, GRC panels and metal-sheet – have been conceived to blend in with their immediate urban surroundings, establishing a link in terms of appearance with the buildings that make up the CCN.

The layout of the rooms is in line with both the proportions derived from the acoustic and visual conditions and the relation between these and the public distribution spaces and the disposition of these and the terraces that overlook the city. The 1/3 ratio between the net area of the convention halls and the public circulation area – not including terraces – guarantees the correct functioning of the building. The generous proportion between the area of each room and the number of people attending the venue – 1.5 m2 per person – ensures more than enough space to put in each room both the seats and the usual coffee-break and relaxation areas.

Internal flow patterns have been structured as two independent systems, according to the different requirements regarding access and evacuation speeds. A central set of escalators and lifts offer quick access to all levels. On the other hand, staircases – totally independent from the escalators system – go through the different interior and exterior areas of the building, allowing for the contemplation of Lima from varying heights from all the building’s façades.

The operative and functional flexibility are keys to the comprehensive design of the LCC and are orientated towards maximizing the economic and social success of the project. Nearly all rooms can be extended or reduced thanks to the acoustic panels that limit them, making it possible to have several spatial distributions.

Technically, the mandatory condition by which the great 5,400 m2 room, with capacity for 3,500 people, was to be free from pillars – along with the seismic inconvenience of using propped up structures –, turns the conceptual and structural proposal into a challenge, since it implies putting the great room on the last level. Placing a sheltered volume the size of a football pitch at a height of over 30 m is a challenge to both the structural approach and the building’s internal mobility – access and evacuation.

This condition in turn generates a 9,000 m2 flat roof which will literally be a fifth façade for the people in the National Bank – over 100 m tall – as well as for whoever might be in the high-rise buildings that might be erected in the future. This façade condition of the roof, along with the will to simplify the routes of the HVAC ducts, have determined the position of the HVAC machinery on the East elevation. It is left to the building envelope to solve its image.

Lima Convention Centre – Building Information

Cliente: Constructora OAS, Sucursal del Perú Área: 86.000 m² Fecha: 2015-16

Constructora-Cliente /Construction Company-Client CONSTRUTORA OAS SA SUCURSAL DEL PERÚ.

Estudio / Office IDOM

EQUIPO

Arquitectos responsables / Lead Architects Tono Fernández Usón, César Azcárate, Javier Álvarez de Tomás

Gestión del Proyecto / Project Management Javier Álvarez de Tomás

Arquitectos / Architects María Cortés Monforte, Jorge Rodríguez, Alejandra Muelas, Enrique Alonso, Adrián Jabonero, Roberto Moraga, Armide González, Nazaret Gutiérrez, Mar��a Amparo González, Lucía Chamorro, Jesús Barranco, Magdalena Ostornol, DESSIN-TECHNISCH, Borja Gómez, Pablo Viña, Luis Valverde

Coordinación equipo Lima Team Coordinator Lima Miguel de Diego

Coordinación equipo Madrid / Team Coordinator Madrid Alejandro Puerta, Carmen Camarmo,

Estructuras/ Structures Alejandro Bernabéu, Javier Gómez, Mónica Latorre

Climatización / HVAC Engineering Antonio Villanueva, Ramón Gutiérrez, Mariano Traver, Celia Monge (SOLVENTA)

Luz / Lighting Noemi Barbero

Agua / Public Health Engineering Ramón Gutiérrez, Mariano Traver, Javier Martínez (SOLVENTA)

Electricidad / Electrical engineering José Antonio Yubero, Luis Martín, Carlos Jiménez, José Manuel Jorge, Javier Martínez (SOLVENTA)

Telecomunicaciones / ICT Engineering José Antonio Yubero, José Manuel Jorge, Carlos Jiménez, Luis Martín, Javier Martínez (SOLVENTA)

Acústica / Acoustics Mario Torices

Técnicos / CAD Óscar Martín Corpa, Carlos Mendoza, Alexander Chic, Sergio Lozana

Administrativos / Administration Banesa Marrero Castro

Fotografía / Photographs Aitor Ortiz

Lima Convention Centre: LCC Peru images / information from IDOM

Location: Lima, Peru, South America

New Peru Architecture

Contemporary Peru Architecture

Peruvian Architecture Designs – chronological list

Casa Lapa, Pucusana, Lima, Perú Design: Arq. Martin Dulanto Sangalli photo : Juan Solano Casa Lapa in Lima

The Panda House, Cañete Design: Da-Lab Arquitectos photograph : Renzo Rebagliati “RENZINO” The Panda House in Cañete

Lima Architects – architecture studios contact details listings on e-architect

Peru Architecture

New Peruvian Houses

Lima Buildings

South American Architecture

Argentina Buildings

Comments / photos for the Lima Convention Centre: LCC Peru page welcome

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[verdadurmaz]

location — the humming bee.

character — @alesolcno

Christmas wasn't something the woman tended to, but her spirits had doubled in pace as more familiar faces continued to surround her. Excitement and pride had washed over her as she followed a small group of females into the yoga studio owned by a woman she considered more family than friend. It was that very reason she beamed a bright smile, her recently purchased yoga mat tucked beneath her arm with every step. The baker followed the welcome signs with a bated breath, wishful to speak with the owner before the course started, but one sweep of the room left her nearly forgetting her own name. A gentle bump from another yoga goer left her taking a few steps closer, nostalgia landing her in the spot near the other. "Mind if I set up here?" She'd have to remember to catch Hana after, given that the woman didn't work her way around with that devilish smirk on her mouth that she always seemed to wear so well. "Looks like it'll be a full house and I'd rather not make a fool out of myself next to a stranger."

[parkerlcwis]

A mix of stale cigarette smoke and cheap cologne lingered in the shared space of the ranger's station. If it weren't evident that she were out numbered by that alone, then a single look within would confirm the statistics of the male dominated field. Most of the men she worked with were fine, but a few had earned their way to the long list of people she wouldn't swerve for if karma and opportunity had anything to do with it.

The expectations of what the new year would bring had fallen short. Only twice had a call been made to the station for assistance and even one of those had all but been a false alarm. It was a double edged sword to swivel on boredom and the desire for something to happen.

Brows pinched together and forehead wrinkled in curiosity as a female approached the front lobby desk where a short man who'd made Parker's list should have been sitting. Smoke break, she assumed? Annoyed, yet nearly relieved, she closed the space and offered help before another uniform could step in.

"I hope so," she countered with a bated breath. Between mind numbing paperwork and offering help to someone, the latter would win each and every time.

Parker swallowed down the breath, surprise washing over her as her gaze dropped to sweep over the photo. Carefully, she plucked the file from the countertop, bringing the image closer to rake over the details of gorgeous woman on the page. Stomach twisted in knots at the MISSING PERSON title. How had none of them heard of this and if they had, why wasn't a flyer stapled to one of their boards?

She studied the image and combed through every memory she could muster, but it was the name that cleared things up. "Mariana," she echoed quietly with a nod. She'd ran into the woman a few times, but hadn't thought of it when those by chance run ins had ceased. "I met her a few times. She introduced herself as Mari, but she told me her full name was Mariana. She favored this one trail. I always thought it was an interesting choice." It wasn't well known for popularity, but she'd assumed that the woman had preferred a more peaceful option by comparison to a busier path.

"Mind if I take a couple of these? We have a couple of boards around here I could put them up on." Surely she hadn't been the only ranger to have a run in with the now missing woman and if not a ranger, then perhaps one of the people who stopped by would recognize her. "I could show the trail if you wanted?"

@alesolcno

— characters: ale & parker — setting: ranger's office — partner: @parkerlcwis

In the bag handing from her shoulder held a file of freshly printed flyers. They had Mariana Solano's picture, sizable and center, the words MISSING PERSON in big block letters at the top, then all of her older sister's details and last known whereabouts.

There was a constant sinking feeling these days. Another holiday had passed and she'd not really gotten a step further than when she'd arrived in Providence Peak. It had been a year of no progress.

She was failing Mariana.

Something had happened and Ale has done nothing to help her.

As the brunette stood in the lobby staring at the front desk of the ranger's office but not really looking at it, she braced herself. It was going to be another 'no, I haven't seen her' and likely 'no, you can't leave those here' when it came to the missing person flyers.

Broken and crying all the time, frustrated and in want of hitting something until her knuckles busted open raw, Ale was at a crossroads.

The trance the photographer had fallen into wasn't broken until the voice of someone else had snapped her out of it. "Oh, uhh, umm—" Shaking her head, Ale stammered a bit in trying to find her footing. Where was she again? Oh, right, the park ranger's office. "Hi, yes, you can help me." She approached the desk and pulled her folder out from her back and set it on top. When she opened it to reveal her sister's beautiful face, a pang shot through her chest. "I was wondering if you've ever seen her through the park? It would've been roughly a year and a half ago."

[alesolcno]

— characters: ale & khalil — setting: deja brew — partner: @khalilhassan

It was no longer months without any real answers, the time passed since she'd made her way into Providence Peak's city limits would be counted as a year now.

If anything in this world could be considered the definition of brutality it was that. The mystery, the tiniest morsels of clues, and the lack of anything concrete was maddening.

Day and night, any time outside of work, Alejandra was pounding the pavement asking any person whose attention she could snatch for a moment if they knew the name Mariana Solano. If they'd seen the woman she'd flash them a picture of from her phone.

Nothing.

Sometimes just a shake of the head, other times there was a 'no, sorry' with the results always being the same. By no means was she a Nancy Drew and it was so blatantly aware in her failure to scrounge any information that Ale was at the point of wondering if she should pack it up home.

"Hey, sorry to bother you," the brunette photographer said upon approaching a table in the coffee shop, phone already in hand with her resemblance on the screen. "I was just wondering if you've seen this woman," the iPhone was held out to each person at the table, "or have heard the name Mariana Solano? Goes by Mari..."

[verdadurmaz]

One never really knew when they were stuck in the calm before the storm, but as one who'd dealt with it time and time again, the baker only assumed that hers was on the way. Her marriage, though entirely unconventional, had been running as smoothly as it could for two people who had no idea what it meant to settle. She'd rekindled an old friendship that meant the world to her, the comfort and support being the very thing she'd needed in such a time of change. Her mother had even mentioned making the move to Providence Peak full time — all good things, so where was the surprise that always seemed to follow?

The buzzing of the passing traffic and occasional near shoulder check by an oncoming stranger left the woman's gaze bouncing between her phone and the path before her. Her dimly illuminated screen had a smiling Zeppelin staring back at her. It never failed to stir a warmth within her and against the chilly December breeze, she needed all that she could get.

Hey Verda. Brows pitched and heartbeat tripled in pace, but her features gave away nothing as dark hues trailed up the frame she'd once known better than her own. "Do I know you? You look kind of familiar..." she trailed off, holding back a grin before it was inevitably painted on her mouth.

She accepted the compliment with a nod, it's weight causing her to feel unsteady on her feet. "You look good too." She took a beat to settle on the words, using the time to slip her phone into her bag. At least she could contain the excitement flutters that arose within, while she knew Zeppelin wouldn't be able to do the same. "I'm happy to hear another voice won out this time."

Another compliment followed, this time about the wedding. Shit. "Surprise, right? I'm still wrapping my head around it too." In the time they'd spent together, Verda hadn't been the marrying type, but that had never seemed to matter. Fun was fun and happy was happy, both of which she'd been with the woman before her. "Are you in town for awhile, or just passing through? When did you get here?"

A long list of questions circled her mind, but a gust reminded her of the unfriendly chill that passed through every so often. "I'm actually headed to my bakery... have time to join? It's warmer and there's coffee and sweets if that helps sway you at all."

@alesolcno

— characters: ale & verda — setting: down the block from the sweet spot — partner: @verdadurmaz

When the brunette glanced up from her phone to be sure that she wasn't about to walk into someone, a pole, or off the curb and into the street she saw a familiar face headed toward her.

It had been years and clearly plenty had changed in their lives as she had, more than a month ago, photographed this piece of nostalgia as she married another woman.

A battled raged on in her head, same as it had on Verda's special day, if she should say something or let the past be where it had been left. It had been unexpected to be reacquainted with the baker's countenance in Providence Peak of all places, which had done a number on the photographer's head in wondering if this was the universe trying to speak to her.

Wasn't there a saying along the lines of 'everything happens for a reason'?

Boot covered feet stopped and a tentative smile formed on her lips as Verda came within earshot. "Hey," Ale gently called out to her then cleared her throat and spoke a little louder, "hey, Verda..."

As though she couldn't stop the spill from parted lips, she went on— "I keep seeing you around and each time I talk myself out of saying 'hello' but this time a different voice in my head won the battle. You look really fucking great." So good that Ale pined for a few pulls on her vape. "Your wedding was amazing."

[verdadurmaz]

Happiness could be weaved into people like threads in clothing. If one thread caught on something and was pulled out of place, it would never quite be the same. As she scanned over the other, a quick up and done sweep to ensure that she was in fact the real version of a woman she'd once known better than herself, she felt her stomach twist in complicated knots.

The ring on her left grew impossibly tight, but she shook out her fingers as if making an attempt to rid of the nervous jitters. Had she been happy the whole time? No. Were there still times her chest ached and she wondered if diving headfirst into marriage had been a reckless move at proving the universe wrong? More than she liked.

"I want that for you too. Always have." And yet, in that moment, she feared that she already knew the answer to the question she'd posed, even if in between the flutters of jealousy, all she'd ever wanted was the other's untamed happiness.

Her own troubles were boxed away as another sweep over the Californian sent waves of worry through her veins. The baker took a single step forward, but fell short as her heart pounded so loudly and out of time that she could barely muster a thought. She wondered if it were Ayla that had the other so off balance and if it were the woman of the other's past, was it wrong that a green eyed monster shadowed around her?

It was fucked and she knew it.

What little composure she'd managed broke the moment big brown watery orbs met her gaze. "Alejandra," she muttered, the woman's full name falling gracefully off her lips. Verda's head shook slowly, uncaring of her own story any further. "We've always been honest with one another. Doesn't matter why I invited you here. If something is wrong..." she half pleaded, half reminded in between another step forward.

The baker choked down a breath, her shaky hands finding solace at her sides. It was a long shot from the answer she'd anticipated, but despite the years that had passed and all that had changed, she knew the brunette before her. "I think it'll take me some time to accept that, but you're right. Surprise," she teased weakly, but the smile she wore was one forged from the worry that clung to her bones.

Did she ask again? Or did she hope that whatever it was that weighed so heavily on her ex's shoulders would inevitably make it's way into conversation? It was selfish, but it came from a place of caring beyond words. No amount of time could take away how much she needed the photographer to be okay.

Before anything more could be spoken, the truth was dropped, just like her heart had dropped into the pit of her stomach. Without thought, Verda closed the distance between them, arms curling tightly around the other's frame as if anchoring her to the floor. "I'm so sorry," she breathed lowly, one hand resting against the back of dark locks as the other gripped at clothing. "What can I do?"

She lingered in the hold for a few minutes, though it felt longer and shorter than that all the same. The only reason she found herself pulling back was so that she could see those big brown eyes she'd always gotten lost in. "You aren't alone, okay? I want to help, so please... let me help." Whatever she could do, she would, without question and with no hesitation in sight.

How could she focus on anything when her heart ached for the one person that had helped her rebuild after falling apart years ago. Every stolen glance made her chest tighten a little more with guilt and shreds of regret. She couldn't change the past, but if she could, she'd rework too many things to count.

A curiosity bubbled in her chest, but she figured she knew the answer. After all, how could anyone simply push aside the thought of a missing sister entirely? It wasn't the kind of pain that even her best fried dough topped in sugary goodness could cure.

The smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth was genuine, but it held a degree of sadness all the same. "Hearing it from you means a lot to me." After all, Ale had never doubted her dreams, even when the in need of work food truck was parked at her place looking as if it had seen much better days. "You're incredible too. More than you probably know."

After all, how many people could face the world with such heaviness atop their shoulders at every step? It was an impossible thing to ask of one, and yet, Ale did it as if it were her job. "Ale," she exhaled, gaze softening once more. "This doesn't have to be about me."

A low laugh filled the air and echoed off the kitchen equipment. No one had ever been as reliable in taste testing as the photographer. "I think I can count on you for whatever I need. I just hope you know that you can count on me too." Her hand fell gently atop the other's knuckles, her thumb ghosting against the soft skin that had caused so many fires to build within her. The same touch that had put out fires too.

As much as she appreciated the kindness, as much as it caused her heart to stir, she couldn't ignore the other's pain. If not for the missing sister, then for the words that felt as if they'd been spoken directly to her.

Even in her semi-distracted state of getting everything ready, she couldn't ignore the way Ale's words had rocked her. Mutually ending or not, they'd been something great and that wasn't something she'd ever forget. "I think that's fair. You came here looking for your sister and found ghosts from your past instead." Her voice was light, but there was a pang of guilt and jealousy weaved within it.

"I'll admit, I'm surprised to hear that." After what had happened between them, it seemed plausible. Then again, she'd clocked the engagement ring and had thought the worst. "Didn't know she was the marrying type anyway, but hey, I guess anyone can change." Just like herself, but she busied her mind with the task of rolling and cutting the dough evenly.

@alesolcno

The nerves that stirred in the photographers gut as she awaited the baker's answer were a strong indication of the emotions she still had tied to Verda. Of course she wanted nothing less than this gorgeous and deserving woman to outrageously happy, but she knew that it meant it had been found without her.

Inevitably, Ale's stomach dropped to the floor when the answer that she had wanted to hear had come ringing out, and despite that the smile on the brunette's face was instantaneous.

"Good," voice almost breathless as she attempted to pick herself back up internally, "that's all I've ever wanted for you."

Somehow, it'd not been thought through that Verda would return the question to her. The baker was kindhearted and would naturally want to know, but maybe Ale couldn't understand how her torment wasn't written all over her.

In no way could she appear as though she'd been sleeping well, not drinking herself to oblivion, nor abstaining from mindnumbing sexual encounters.

Without a doubt Ale was a mess.

No light beamed from her eyes, only emptiness.

The photographer was a walking cry for help and her gaze flickered away and unattached from that of the baker's. This meeting wasn't supposed to be about her and the last thing Ale wanted to do was release this darkness and let it seep out of her. Verda wasn't someone that should be touched by the grimness that had taken over her life.

At first, Ale only shook her head, slowly. Tears stung at her eyes and it took any ounce of strength to will them to not roll down her cheeks. It was the classic case of someone asking how you were when you felt as though your world was falling apart and then falling to pieces.

A cliché? No, she could be that in front of her.

"Uhhh," it came out shaky and the brunette still had to steady herself and blink away the pain and fear that blurred her vision, "no. I'm not... happy." Then her hand waved it off, and Ale forced a smile on her face because that would exert her to stop crying before she really let go. "But we're not here for that."

Before her ex could respond Ale made quick work of moving on. It was like she was standing under this giant snowbank, and if she moved one inch in any direction it would all come crashing down and bury her. She couldn't stay on that, couldn't let the levee break...

One inch and the whole thing comes down.

"Nothing ever rightly compares to the magic of a book. No show or movie would ever measure up," the forced smile had begun to morph into something softer and more friendly, fingers gingerly dabbed under her eyes, "as long as you accept that then you can get through any show." It seemed simple, but Ale knew watching and feeling the disappointment would be a different experience.

In not wanting to drown Verda with her pride and astonishment of her ex accomplishing her goals, bigger and better than what had been dreamed up, the Arizona native laid a hand over that broken thing beating in her chest.

To the question there were so many things she could have said. Ale could have gone on about her own success with her art in photography and television, but instead she could only talk about the one thing that had been consuming her for the last year and a half.

The disappearance of Mariana Solano.

"My sister's gone missing," she said quietly, gaze cast down, as though it were something shameful to admit. "Came out here to Providence Peak a few years ago and I stopped hearing from her a year and a half ago. So, I came out here looking for her and I've—" That was when her throat tightened, choked with emotion and her lack of success in finding and helping the one person in the world that meant the absolute most to her. "Well, nothing... there's been nothing."

At saying just that much it wasn't likely her anxiety would allow her to focus or think about anything else. It was almost mindless the way she followed Verda and listened to her quietly, as though she needed the strength of another to lead and guide her. She smiled at her beautiful ex, finding those senses of adoration and happiness for Verda as she made moves around her kitchen somewhere in the turmoil. Part of her wanted to shoot a message to Daniel, ask him to meet her at her apartment. Another part of her thought of the man that would drive his brokenness into her, each thrust something of solidarity.

Instead, she found her way through the hazy aftermath of the forest fire, eyes wild with the horrors of the experience.

"It's amazing and you should be incredibly happy with that," Ale did her best to sound supportive despite the feeling of her legs weakening and barely able to hold her broken self up. "This is a dream realized and you're fucking incredible, Ver. Does no one tell you that?"

She always had.

In fact, it was as though she'd never been able to say it enough.

"You'll grow. I have no doubts that you'll grow if that's what you want." It all just depended on that. On what Verda wanted for her life and future. For the baker it seemed it had all come together— the bakery, the house, the wife.

What was missing?

"You know you can always count on me for tasting." If she were still around and hadn't confronted anyone else that would possibly put her six feet under. Plane tickets were easy if Ale could make it past Mari.

The conversation drifting to Ayla wasn't near as difficult as mentioning her purpose in Providence Peak, but it turned her over just as much as seeing the baker happy. "I don't know how to feel about it," the photographer commented as she watched her ex move about her kitchen with grace and an innateness that allowed Ale to believe she was about to snack on something incredible. "You know— I don't really know what to do with the confrontation of seeing your ex moved on and living a life that had once been talked about intimately between us." Which could have maybe spoken to Verda as well.

"I hope she's happy and doing well. At least she's not marrying a woman, I guess." / @verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

From strangers, to friends, to lovers, to friends? It was a roundabout of labels, a story for the ages. She studied the woman's features and a smile pulled faintly on her mouth as a warmth flushed over her cheeks. She'd found a comfort, happiness, and safety in the woman now standing in what once had been nothing more than a whispered dream.

Verda tore her gaze away from Ale long enough to do a once over of the bakery. Some days it felt like boss energy, other days felt as if it were all slipping from her grasp. "If I think about it too much, I'll probably get emotional." It was the combination of the journey she'd ridden out to get there and the reminder of the conversations the both of them had shared years earlier.

A quiet laugh echoed off the whistle that fell from Ale's lips, the woman's wink causing the baker's smile to double in size. Her ex's honesty wasn't surprising, but a twist of concern knotted in her chest. "A bit of a mess?" A brow lifted, her curiosity piqued.

Teeth raked over her bottom lip as she called back to the times she had sought out a sense of drunken comfort. Could things have ended differently if she had been around the whole time? "I get it though. I found myself in a similar place before this whole marriage thing," she admitted with a shallow breath into her lungs.

Married women weren't supposed to think back on their past, but some parts of it weren't so easily forgotten. Especially the parts that had healed her from the inside out. California had been her best attempt at distance, but what she'd found there in Alejandra had been more than she could've ever asked for.

"Harlan Coben has been the go-to lately, but I've also been reading books on business. It's been on my mind for awhile, but I'm thinking about going back to college for my business degree. I figured if I'm going to run this place, I should know how to do it properly," she mused, passion flowing through her tone as her gaze held steady on the woman she couldn't take her eyes off of.

She blamed the familiarity, but a part of her feared that if she looked away, even for a second, the other would disappear.

"Oh," she started, a vertical crease forming between her brows as she shuffled through her memory. How could she think of a single thing she'd saw when excitement beamed at her from pretty brown eyes? "One time, I watched a guy walk straight into that glass door." Against every instinct, she panned away from the other long enough to point towards the building across the street. "And another time, I watched a bird bully a sandwich away from a woman."

Both stories seemed lackluster by some of the fun she recall them sharing, but she looked onwards for some sign of approval or amusement from the other.

The compliment wasn't lost on her, but the clarification of pride nearly knocked her off her feet. "I'm happy you're here to see it." It made everything feel that much more full circle than it already had. Verda reached out, her fingers curling softly around the woman's wrist where she offered a gentle squeeze. Her skin was warm to the touch and as comforting as it had always been, but after a few short seconds, she dropped her hold and cleared the thickness from her throat.

Her own gaze lit up as she nodded. "Hope you're hungry, because I can't show you around and not offer you samples. Plus, I think I remember what your favorites were and I just so happen to have plenty." Was it because she'd worked on a fresh batch a little bit earlier? Maybe.

Verda's hand brushed against the dip of the woman's back as she stepped towards the double swinging doors that led towards the back. It was brief, but her heat had settled in her fingertips before spreading to every inch of her.

In a matter of a couple steps and one left turn, they'd reached the very kitchen that had become somewhat of a second home to her. "And here we are. When I picked this place, it already had a lot of equipment, but I had to replace a few things and add some of my own." Once more, she store her gaze away from Ale long enough to sweep over the room before dark hues fell back on the woman.

"So, are you hungry or what?" For a moment, she wavered on mentioning Ayla. Did the other know she was around? Was it any of the baker's business? In the end, their policy had always been honesty. "Ayla's in town," she added, that same vertical crease returning, this time forged by concern rather than confusion. "I just thought you should know if you didn't already."

@alesolcno

At the mention of the truck the photographer's brow rose and a slow smile spread across her lips. Quite a lot of pride caused her chest to swell. In the intimacy of their once relationship hopes and dreams were spilled from freshly kissed lips, wine stained or morning breath— they'd told each other things that mattered.

"I wouldn't call two years late..." As difficult as it was to take her eyes off her ex, a woman that had breathed new life into her in the aftermath of Ayla, her gaze did pan around the space. "That's actually boss level success," the brunette tacked on.

A low whistle slipped through her lips, then she winked at Verda.

"I better not with the rum. I've been a real mess lately, lonely and frayed at every edge, and it'd be too easy for me to try and find drunken comfort in you." She'd watched the woman get married, after all. There was respect for the fact that it wouldn't be right to breach that, no matter how badly the photographer may have wanted to.

Even for old time's sake.

The bite to her bottom lip prompted Ale to look away, the flutter in his chest was something she knew wasn't good for her. Instead, she focused on the space the baker had claimed was her favorite and walked over to the spot where Verda had explained she spent much of her free time and lowered herself to it. "What are you reading these days?"

Curiosity only piqued higher at the mention of interesting things. A smirk toyed at the corner of her mouth and Ale let her head tilt to the side as she regarded the stunning baker. "What kinds of things?" Brow quirked, the brunette wasn't entirely sure of what she was hoping to hear.

Then, that frightened part of her in the midst of overturning every little stone in the search for Mari, her big sister, had a heart racing moment that caused Ale to blink rapidly and look away. Why was she having fun and flirting when her sister was in danger? How was any of this helping?

Part of the photographer had hoped Verda would mention seeing Mari there, that she'd passed the window once or twice and had looked happy. Whatever had happened to her sister she prayed there were some good moments in there that she'd experienced.

Should she ask now or later if she could leave a few of her sister's MISSING PERSON flyers?

Ale got back to her feet and pushed a smile onto her troubled lips, adjusted the bag hanging from her shoulder and decided to push on for the time being. "Love it, this space is incredible. Look at you, the babe with the corner shop, so damn proud of you."

A few steps forward and the brunette was back at the counter, "okay, show me some more? Lets see where the magic happens." / @verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

In the time that Ale had earned her trust, trust had been difficult to come by. It was one thing to flee from one's ex on a whim, but another to flee across the Country with no real plan in sight. Verda had found comfort in the support and against every heart twisting odd, had some something in the brunette too.

Dreams and realities rarely intertwined, but the bakery was living proof that it wasn't impossible, her last quarterly report aside. The smile she beamed and the rapid beat of her heart was a testament to how much the moment meant. From idea to a reality of two years, she'd done it.

"I still have the truck," she added, bottom lip caught between her teeth as she watched the other drink in every detail around the bakery, gaze only straying for a few seconds at a time before returning to the woman that had helped heal her in ways no one else could have. "Thanks. It's been almost two years now, but better late than never, right?"

Chin tipped upwards, her smile shifting into a more devilish form. "If you're serious, I have a bottle of rum in the back. Sometimes when I'm here late, I make a drink. Used to do it a lot more when I lived within walking distance, but the bottle is practically new." Claret wasn't far off, but if only too many glasses were tipped back, it would be a lift she slipped into rather than the driver's seat of her Bronco.

The baker blew out a nervous hum, her hands clasping together as she nipped at her bottom lip to stifle a low laugh. "Right, the grand tour. Let's start with my favorite part of the whole place," she trailed off, head tilting towards the lefthand side of the building where a small line of booths sat.

She paused at the last booth and nodded to the bay window where a cushion sat for one's seclusion needs. "Perks of having a corner building, but sometimes if I get here early, I sneak over and have a cup of coffee and read or people watch." She glanced back, drinking in the details of the gorgeous woman she'd always wanted the best for, even if it hadn't turned out to be her. "Needless to say, I've witnessed some interesting things from there."

@alesolcno

As the long, wavy haired brunette made her way to her ex's bakery she felt nerves bubbling in the pit of her stomach. As much as it had been expected, at least somewhere subconsciously, that Verda would move on with her life it was still a twist to see her get married.

Hitched to the woman the baker had broken up with just before they had met.

In a strange twist of fate Ale's own ex she was recovering from when she'd met Verda was in Providence Peak. There were blessings and one too many curses involved with this city, and the photographer couldn't make heads or tails of it.

However, when walking through the door to her ex's dreams realized she was greeted with a smile. One that made her heart hitch just a little and heat rise to her cheeks. She was so damn beautiful. Of course she never would've stayed single and maybe Ale had been a fool to think she ever really had a chance at longevity.

"It's amazing," the brunette commented, gaze panning around the bakery. "Great job," she softly gushed, "I knew you'd do it." And she had, Ale had always believed in her.

"Umm, no, not really hungry. Could use a drink," a laugh bubbled up Ale's throat and her head shook off the playful comment. It felt like she'd been going through hell lately, or ever since Mari disappeared, and alcohol had been a main support in numbing the torment.

Standing there the photographer was reminded just how alone she was in the world right then. It was difficult to stomach but thankfully the wave of that passed, even if she smiled through it regardless.

"Let me see," she said excitedly, "show me around!" / @verdadurmaz

[verdadurmaz]

What few celebrations she took part in were courtesy of those surrounding her. It was a beautiful time of year, but the holiday season had never been fully acknowledged under the Durmaz roof past her father loving the idea of a fresh tree propped up in the living room, but never actually going as far as to do it.

Her beating heart was betraying the cool look she wore on her features. Ale had been the one responsible for picking up the pieces shattered and while like many good things tended to do, the separation had been amicable.

Someone not drawn to a potential burn would have picked any other spot, or would have forged a spot of their own to avoid getting too close to someone they'd known better than themselves at a point in their life that didn't seem all that long ago. That was the thing about the baker. She never knew when to walk away.

"Thanks. I owe you one," she countered as she carefully untucked her mat from beneath her arm and rolled it out onto the floor near Ale's setup. Verda sucked in a shallow breath as she allowed herself one sweep over the woman's frame, a frame she'd clung to until the breakup.

A loud chirp of excitement from somewhere else in the room pulled the brunette's gaze from her ex. She was married to the woman who had broken her heart and how painfully ironic was it that the person who'd pieced it back together was now in the city of Providence Peak? Better yet, was setup at her side atop a yoga mat as pretty and captivating as ever?

Raspy laughter spilled as she ran her tongue across the front of her teeth, heat pooling in her stomach and color flushing to her cheeks. "I remember having a bit of help and motivation, but maybe you're right. If my memory serves me correctly, you never had much of a problem either."

The baker forced her gaze to her own mat after catching a glimpse of the other dipping towards her water bottle. One deep breath in, one long exhale out. "It's really good to see you again too. Honestly... I'm still surprised." Out of every place in the world, they'd somehow ended up in the same city again, this time, under different circumstances.

"Not laughing is a tough one, but I'll come to your rescue if you promise to come to mine," she countered, holding her pinky out for the other to take, before she pulled it back a couple of inches to continue on. "Oh, and if you're in a giving mood... if you see the pretty instructor looking for a volunteer and she looks back this way, volunteer. I promise I'll make it up to you." Once she'd finished, she lowered her pinky back with a grin and raised brow.

@alesolcno

Grown up in a dysfunctional household meant that Christmas wasn't as magical for Ale as it seemed to be for most everyone she'd witnessed around the city who were doing their best to make the most of the impending holiday.

Even more so now, with Mari's disappearance weighing heavy on her, the photographer was in no real mood to even attempt getting into the spirit.

Stretching out and working up a sweat had actually been the most constructive decision the Arizona native had made thus far during the season. Which was why she was bare footed and near a yoga mat in the studio that had been a good distraction for the woman on a mission.

"Huh," Ale commented at first, her dark brown gaze pulled away from the male distracting her with the way he was looking at her to something, or someone, far more pleasant. "Oh, yeah, sure... go for it," the brunette stammered a little in her surprise at seeing her ex yet again. Not only was Verda more stunning than ever she would have to watch the woman glide into pose after pose in minimal, form fitting clothing.

A smile kicked up one corner of her mouth as a hand ran over the nape of her neck, while her gaze caught some silent exchange between humming bee's owner at the sultry brunette now at her side. The curiosity that stung at the edges set a speedy assumption process into motion, however, before she could comment the baker was speaking up again.

"Come on, I remember how easily you can get into some positions. This is going to be nothing for you," Ale teased, then internally scolded herself to remember that Ver was now married.

"It's good to see you again," the brunette commented just before bending for her water for a sip and setting it back down. "Should we make a pact not to laugh at each other and agree to rescue each other from any possible embarrassment?" / @verdadurmaz

[atlaswilliams]

Caring had never been a part of their unspoken agreement. She'd needed stress relief the same as he had and together, they'd found it in between the sheets or wherever else they were bold enough to meet. Her departure had been expected, but some of his belongings going with her had been the part to blindside him. Unanswered texts and calls sent straight to voicemail had only fueled his anger with the woman.

For months after, he'd replayed their moments together in an attempt at easing the anger and betrayal pumping through his veins. Had he asked to be played like a fool in the end, or had the signs been there from the start?

His frustrations had been wavering over time. Even when Mariana wasn't front and center on his mind, the reminder of what she'd taken from him was always lingering somewhere within.

The illumination of her name on his screen had set every alarm off within him, her casual responses only fueling the flames burning hot within him. How could she run off with his stuff, only to come back like nothing had ever happened? He wanted his stuff back, but more than that, he wanted answers.

"Just you," he echoed, jaw clenched tight. Her brown orbs were familiar, but he knew for a fact that they'd never met. Names were iffy, but faces? No more than a minute had passed before the name of his nightmares ghosted off her lips. Was this her idea of a cruel joke?

The towering male released a low scoff layered thick in disbelief. "I'm sorry, but who are you?" Despite the impatience, his tone lacked the venom he had stewed on for hours. Instead, it was a softer question riddled in defeat.

Sister. Texting. Where is she? It had to be a joke. Somewhere from within the coffee shop, the brunette had to be hiding and holding back a snicker of glee. She'd fooled him not once, not even twice, but a handful of times and he'd yet to learn his lesson from any of it. "Her sister? Did she put you up to this? It's not funny."

The text exchange made more sense though. No wonder she hadn't seemed all too pressed about what she'd taken from him. "I don't know. I could ask you the same thing." If he'd known anything, he wouldn't have waited around while his personal belongings were pawned off to the first willing buyer. At least, that was the very assumption he'd made. "One day she was here, the next, she wasn't. She tool some of my shit with her. I'm just trying to get it back."

@alesolcno

It had been a risky game texting the contacts she'd found in her older sister's phone, one she couldn't afford not to take, after scrolling through and digging around for any information and clues in Mariana's device. There weren't many exchanges in there that led Ale to believe the elder Solano had any deep connections in the Rockies adjacent city.

The reason Atlas Williams had sparked her interest had been his repeated texts, laced with the need for a response after what had looked to be a departure on her sister's behalf that hadn't been expected.

What if this person had been one of the last to see Mariana or speak to her?

As she sat where instructed for their meeting to take place the photographer realized what was riskier than conversing with someone as her sister was connecting via blind date of sorts. This person could be dangerous. He'd seemed rather angry in their texts. They could also have something to do with what had happened to Mariana, or in the least been the one responsible for her going ghost to everyone and everything she knew.

After arriving little more than an hour early, the brunette sipped coffee while her anxiety built and her overthinking spun out of control. When a voice finally pulled her from her spiked drink, something that had become more of a habit than an acceptable excuse for calming her nerves, Ale hadn't expected the very tall man that had been standing there.

"Nope," she said cooly as her dark eyes thoroughly scrutinized him, "I've been here over an hour... just me."

Did he see a resemblance?

Why was he ten minutes late? Had he been watching the place for a while?

"Any chance the person you're supposed to be meeting is Mari Solano?" Brow lifted slightly, while the male was handsome and attractive he wasn't her sister's usual type. So, what was it between them? Even as a possible answer, or lead in slightest, stood in front of her the photographer's mind was off in many directions.

"I'm her sister... Ale," the brunette led and read his face to see if there were any indication that she'd ever been mentioned or if this was a surprise.

"It was me texting you," Ale offered and pulled Mari's phone from her pocket and held it up before setting on the table she'd been occupying. "Where is she?" / @atlaswilliams