` what a beautiful mess i'm in . |open|

[carmen]

Carmen woke up to the sound of her annoying alarm, beeping loudly in her silent home. She stretched quickly over to reach the alarm, to shut it off. Once it was silent again, she sat up because she wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. She yawned and stretched more slowly. She stood up and stumbled down her hardwooden hallway to her bathroom. She turned on the water in the shower and looked at herself in the mirror for a moment as she waited for the hot water to come through. She had been out late last night, working, not partying like she should've been. She had dark circles under her eyes but she didn't feel that tired. Good thing that she had some strong cream to put on those dark circles. The cream actually managed to make the dark circles disappear, so she didn't have to worry about people thinking that she had a black eye or something, although she didn't know anybody here to worry about her. But back in Texas, the cream had come in handy many times.

After she was finished in the shower she stepped out and dried herself off with a towel, then wrapped her long blond hair in the towel. She grabbed her soft purple bath robe off of the silver hook on the back of her door, and put it on. She walked out of the bathroom, opening the door wide so that the fog would disappear off of the mirror. She walked downstairs into her kitchen and put on some coffee, a morning ritual that she will never be able to give up. Walking back upstairs she tried to think of what she was going to do this Saturday. She didn't have to work, having already asked if she could have the weekend off, since she had been working steadily for quite sometime. She didn't really need the cash, her mother had been a lawyer and had left a lot of money in Carmen's hands. The money sat in the bank for now, but Carmen was able to pay the mortage for the nice beach home that she had, where there was a dock connected because she loved to dive off of the dock and into the water. That was what her old home had had, a dock where Carmen spent most of her summer at. Or at least, during the long days.

She decided on a pair of short jean shorts and then a blue tank top that was one of those loose ones, her favourite one. When she was all dressed, she grabbed a pair of matching black flip flops and then a beach bag of hers that she sometimes used as a purse when she was outdoors. She put her cell in there, her iPod and her wallet. Then she added a few magazines and put the bag back onto her bed. She walked into the bathroom again to do her hair and make up. She put her hair down, in long curls that framed her face. She put on a little bit of make up - never over doing it because she doesn't like the whole racoon look. When she was finished with that, she grabbed her beach bag from her bed and then walked down the stairs to the kitchen, her flip flops making a slapping noise as she walked slowly because she needed to have her coffee fix, then she would have energy for what she planned on doing for today. She put her bag down onto the counter and poured herself a hot mug of coffee, adding two scoops of sugar. She stirred it and put on the TV, sighing because there wasn't much on right now.

When she was finished with the coffee, she rinsed her mug and then put a piece of gum into her mouth to rid herself of the after taste. She grabbed her bag, turned off the TV and grabbed her car keys. She locked the front door after herself and then walked down the front steps to the driveway where her Cobalt SS was waiting for her. She had put a lot of time into that car, repairing and adding things on herself, since that was one of the many hobbies Carmen had. Unlocking the car, she opened the driver's door and got in, putting her bag on the seat beside her. Putting the key into the ignition, she shut her door and started up the engine. She buckled as she backed out of the driveway and onto the road. Putting her car into drive, she drove towards where she hoped the Tropico Harbour was. She knew that like any other harbour she had been too, that there would be a lot of people there, and fancy boats. But there should also be enough room for her to sit and let her legs dangle, something that she would do all of the time back in Texas with her best friends. It would be a bit different since she was going alone, she just hoped that her iPod would be enough company for her.

She drove up to the parking lot that the Tropico Harbour owned and then finding a spot, she pulled into it and then cut the engine, unbuckling. She took her keys out of the ignition, grabbed her bag and then opened her door. She locked her car, shut the door and walked towards the large dock was. It was bigger than the one nearby her old home, but she knew that it was going to be a lot different in many other ways. She walked down the main lane of dock, looking around at all of the fancy boats tied up and then some empty spaces because some people where off on the water. Pulling out her sunglasses, she slipped them on and then found a spot where it seemed no boat had been tied up for many years. She settled down, making sure her bag was far enough away from the edge. She removed her flip flops and put them beside her so that she wouldn't loose them. Pulling out her iPod she glanced around once more. It was about eleven o'clock in the morning, and there wasn't many people out and about just yet. She turned on her iPod, plugged in her headphones and just relaxed, listening to the country music that she loved.

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[Cecily White]

Urgh, what day was it? Friday, wasn't it? Cecily sleepily reached for the bedside table, picking up her cellphone and peering at the screen through half-closed eyelids. Yes, it was friday... 11 AM?!? She awoke with a start, losing her grip on the phone and cringing as it landed with a loud, obnoxious thud on the wooden floor. She should've been at work three hours ago. Bloody hell. Cecily kicked off the covers and spilled out of bed, nearly tripping herself. She flung open her closet door and dug out most of what was inside, rummaged through the pile of clothes for a while and pulled out a pair of blue skinny jeans, red ballet flats, a red belt and a white tunic. She hurriedly got changed, fluffed out her hair and grabbed her handbag. Her phone could stay there; she didn't want to look for it now. Cecily ran for the door and was out of the house before her mother had time to see the state her room was in and call her back. She would just have to walk today. Actually, she walked most of the time, as her parents weren't too keen on putting her behind the wheel; it wasn't that she was a bad driver... "maniacal" is more the right word.

Cecily relaxed a bit once she was on her way. It was difficult to stress for longer than a few minutes if you lived in a place like Tropico. Quite honestly she'd never come a cross a more mellow, laid-back lot than these people. Upon first moving here she found it a little awkward, compared to how it was way back when when she lived in London, but after a while she began to rather enjoy it here on the little island out in the middle of nowhere, far away from and blissfully unaware of the big city dramas.
Alright, so the walk from one end of the island to the other was a bit longer than the drive, but today it seemed to drag on for eternity. Probably because she was so delightfully late for work, she thought dismally. At least the weather was pleasant; when she had left home it had been overcast and rather chilly, but by now the sun had emmerged and was slowly warming the island while a refreshing sea-breeze blew gently in the background. Eventually she made it to the town center, and spent the rest of the journey in a taxi. Lazy day, much? When the old cab reached the harbour, she thanked the driver, paid him and got out. She shivered slightly; the wind down here was surprisingly cooler than what it had been further up north.

Cecily was still a student, she was studying music and art if one must know, but she had a part-time job at the local curio shop/tea garden. Occasionally she would stand in for one of the waiterons if they were absent, but for the most part she worked behind one of the tills inside the shop. She loved the place, luckily for her. It sold a variety of nearly anything one could think of; candles, accessories and other items such as dollhouses or suitcases dating back from a few decades to more than half a century ago, tye-dyed or other "arty" clothing, jewelery, ornaments, and so forth. Oh, and incense. Lots of it.
She didn't really know what she was going to tell her boss, but to her relief the old woman was nowhere to be found when she came in. The other two employees, a girl about a year or two younger than herself and a man more or less her age, greeted her. She grinned apologetically and waved back. Cecily got behind the till on the left, dropped her handbag on the floor, and started her day.

Conveniently she arrived at 12 PM, an hour before her lunch break. One o'clock came quickly, and when it did she went outside and sat down at one of the green wooden tables with a mug of green tea and honey. The shop was quite near to the docks, so she soon found her gaze travelling towards the quay. The sea was a deep blue, and quite calm. A number of boats had set sail and only an odd few remained. The gulls were everywhere, some swooping high above in the air, others perched in rows on some of the boats' railings. A figure sitting by itself on one of the jetties caught her attention, and she recognised it immediately. Carmen! she called, waving a hand in the air. Cecily got up, carefully holding her mug, and made her way down to the pier where her friend sat. Carmen! Hi! How're you doing? She asked, grinning, and sat down next to her, dangling her legs over the side and taking a sip of tea.

[carmen]

Carmen was lost in thought, thinking about the fact that she may never be able to see her father again. This filled her with such a sadness that the whole beautiful day was wasted on her today. On any other day she would have really liked sitting here, the sun warming her already tanned skinned. She loved it when the sun warmed her on the outside. That was one of her favourite things to do - sit outside, or just be outside for that matter. Whether she was sitting, talking with her friends out at their favourite place in Texas, or if she was playing soccer with them - it didn’t matter. As long as the sun was shining, Carmen was in a good mood. She started to think about all of the friends that she had been taken away from again and she grew even more sad. Then a song came on, on her iPod that she used to have between her and one of her old friends, who had once been her boyfriend. The two realized that they were better off just being friends instead of closer than that. He had taken her to a dance one summer and this song had played when they had shared their first kiss. It hadn’t been his first kiss with a girl, but it had been her first kiss.

She jumped as she was brought back down to the present, hearing her name being called. She swivelled her head around to see one of her new friends, Cecily. Carmen pressed the pause button on her iPod, holding it so that the screen went blank again. She put the iPod on hold and then took the headphones out of her ears, coiling them around the iPod. She smiled to Cecily, after she listened to the other girl’s words. She looked over at her as she sat down. “Hey, been better. How about you?” Carmen looked at Cecily for a second longer, than looked over the water. She watched the sun’s reflection making the waters sparkle. Carmen looked down at her lap, her hands folded between her thighs. She didn’t know what else to say really - today was not a good day. She wished that it was, she wished that she could just blab her little head off like she always did. She looked back at Cecily, “Are you working today?” She asked, wondering why Cecily was here out of all places to be. Carmen looked to her right as someone backed a large, expensive boat out of the harbour, and then slowly take off.

Carmen had considered buying a boat with the fortune that her mother had left her, but she decided to get a big home first. She still had the money in the bank, keeping it safe. She had resisted the temptations at first to go on large shopping sprees and buying everything that she needed, or rather wanted. She looked back at Cecily. “I suppose, that I just miss what I used to call home, you know? I miss feeling familiar with everything - this place is just all so.. different and new..” She looked back down at her lap, feeling bad for everything that she just said. Cecily was probably having a good day - she at least sounded like it. She looked out across the water as a smaller boat zoomed across. Carmen wished that she had bought that one large boat she had been looking at. The feeling of the wind in her hair was so thrilling, she had loved being out on her uncle’s boat. He had taken her and a couple of friends out during the summer, a lot. Carmen had loved being out on the water, there was just so much of it - you could go anywhere. The sense of freedom astounded Carmen.

She returned her gaze back to her lap, and then realized that she was still holding her iPod. She opened her beach bag up and slipped the music device into it. She shut her bag and then lifted her bare feet, crossing her legs. She put her hands on her knees, then on her calves and sighed. She looked out over the water again, feeling mesmerized by the way it moved. “Sorry about that - I don’t know what got into me.” She said, with difficulty, looking at Cecily and smiling a small smile. She honestly didn’t know what was wrong with her today. The sun was out and shining, unlike earlier this morning when it had been overcast. The leaves on the trees looked so green it looked unreal, the sun’s reflection on the water seemed so bright that it would damage your eyes looking at the lake. Carmen looked down at her legs, they didn’t seem red from sitting in the sun - even though she had been sitting here for about an hour. She wasn’t exactly keeping track, but her last glance at her iPod had told her it was 1:09pm.

ooc// ahhh shit…sorreh lol.

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[Cecily White]

I'm sorry, did I frighten you? She smiled apologetically as she saw the girl jump upon being greeted, before sitting down. She took another sip of green tea and rested the mug on her lap, cupping her hands around it. She shook her head as a sudden gust sea breeze blew a few locks of brown hair into her face and brushed them to the side. Cecily loved the harbour, probably more than what some people concidered healthy. Occasionally she'd wake up at 5 AM, make a few cups of Milo, pour it all into a flask, grab her "art gear", as she dubbed it, and arrive at the harbour by 6 AM just in time for sunrise. She'd made quite a few paintings and sketches of the harbour, her favourites were a watercolour painting of a green and blue rowing boat drifting lazily side by side with a seagull perched on the green one, a pastel drawing of a fisherman standing on the pier and gazing out into the open sea, and another watercolour where she'd gotten her little brother to make a running leap off of one of the jetties. She'd taken a photo from behind and made the painting from that.

Hey, been better. How about you? Are you working today?

"Aw, I'm sorry." She said, giving the other a small hug. "I'm pretty good. Three hours late for work, but alive and breathing." She grinned. Naturally Cecily was curious to know what had upset her friend, but she didn't want to intrude on something that wasn't her business. She hadn't known Carmen long enough yet to know whether she was a girl who liked to confide in someone or just have a shoulder to cry on whenever something was troubling her, or who rather preferred to keep to herself and not talk about it. She turned to Carmen's second question. "Yes I am, sadly. I work at that little curio shop over there," she leaned forward a bit, pointing to the side and up the road at a small, mauve coloured building huddled snugly between the many other shops on the side of the street. "but I'm on lunch break now until 2. I'm so glad it's friday, this week's been dragging on too long." she said with a yawn and took another sip of tea.

I suppose, that I just miss what I used to call home, you know? I miss feeling familiar with everything - this place is just all so.. different and new.

Cecily sat quite still as she listened to the other's words, watching the steam rise slowly from the mug of tea until it eventually just faded away. "Aah, you'll eventually learn to like it here. Just give yourself a bit of time." She said gently, putting a hand on the other's shoulder. "I remember I felt the same way too when we moved here from London, I was 15 then (wow it seems long ago). At first I missed my friends terribly too, but I looked up their numbers and made contact with them again (I still bug them in the middle of the night with telephone calls). I promise you you'll get to know a ton of people, I'd even make a bet but I'm somewhat broke." She chuckled.

Sorry about that - I don’t know what got into me.

Cecily turned her head too as a small motorboat zoomed across the water. What fun. Her dad owned a boat, actually, but heaven be praised should the day come that he'd just "step on it". She loved driving fast, or generally being in any fast-moving mode of transportation. Her father, however, didn't. Cecily looked at Carmen. "No need to apologize at all, my friend. It's good to just let go every one in a while, it's unhealthy to keep one's emotions bottled up. Anyway, I don't mind at all, I'm a good listener." She smiled cheerily. "Would you like me to get you a cup of tea, or anything? Tea always makes a person feel better. So does Milo, Milo's pretty good. "Good for the soul", that sort of thing."

[ooc: whoa, really sorry for the wait. My muse hasn't been too great recently. *gives bag of cookies as a peace-offering* :3]

[carmen]

I’m sorry, did I frighten you?

Carmen glanced over at Cecily, a small smile on her face. She shrugged, “Nah, it’s okay, I was just thinking about… the past, you know.” She looked out over the water - wanting so badly to feel the breeze through her long, blond hair. To feel the rush of going fast. It was so much more different than when you drove a car too fast on the road, compared to driving a boat on the water fast. Or being in a boat that was going fast. Carmen hadn’t actually driven it, but still - that hadn’t taken away the thrill that she got from skimming over the water. Just the thought of it made Carmen smile. That one day, that she had had before she’d left with her friends on the water would never be forgotten. She will always remember what had happened. It was the best day of her life, one where she could just forget about her mom and her dad both leaving her - even though they hadn’t wanted to leave Carmen. They had no choice but to abandon her, but Carmen feels pain every single day, no matter what the reason for their absence in her life.

Aw, I’m sorry. I’m pretty good. Three hours late for work, but alive and breathing.

She hugged Cecily back, smiling with thanks. Carmen looked over at Cecily and chuckled, if she had been the one three hours late she wouldn’t have even bothered to show up at work. But Cecily was different in the way that she would go to work. That made Carmen smile, a larger smile than the first one she’d flashed. She wondered why her friend had been late for work - by three hours, no less. She figured that she had probably been up late or had slept in. That happened to Carmen often, although when she stayed out late, she was usually sitting here on the dock, feeling the water rock the old wood back and forth gently. She loved the sight of the sun on the water, but what seemed even more magical and beautiful was the moon glinting and winking over the water. She liked the peace and quite of the night, the stillness, where she could be left to her own thoughts. But then again, on some nights she yearned to have some human company, instead of having to listen to the bullfrogs at night, or the crickets or whatever else was out and about. Sure, being alone was nice, but when you were alone most of the time - it just got boring and lonely. At least Carmen had Cecily here, her only friend, but that didn’t matter because Cecily was the greatest friend. Carmen already knew that they would be close for a long time.

Yes I am, sadly. I work at the little curio shop over there. But I’m on lunch break now until 2. I’m so glad is Friday, this week’s been dragging on too long.

Carmen craned her head around, to follow Cecily’s pointing finger. She smiled when she saw the little mauve shop, it looked like a humble little store. She leaned back when Cecily continued on chatting and smiled, looking down at her tanned thighs. “I know exactly how you feel. I really wish that it could be the weekend, at least I get to sleep and relax more.” She was referring to the fact that she worked a lot, although she didn’t expect Cecily to get that, so she opened her mouth to speak again. “I work at that Café Tropico.” She paused, thinking. “But people here seemed more, well relaxed. Which is nice, makes my job as a waitress a tad bit easier. The pay’s pretty good too.” She smiled, she didn’t mind working at the small little café. There was just something about this town that sort of lured Carmen. How it was just so cute, all the stores looked nice from the outside, and the staff in each was always welcoming and polite to Carmen. She had investigated almost all of the stores when she’d first arrived here, feeling too restless to just stay in her large home all by herself and unpack.

Ah, you’ll eventually learn to like it here. Just give yourself a bit of time. I remember I felt the same way too when we moved here from London, I was 15 then (wow it seems long ago). At first I missed my friends terribly too, but I looked up their numbers and made contact with them again (I still bug them in the middle of the night with telephone calls). I promise you you’ll get to know a ton of people, I’d even make a bet but I’m somewhat broke.

Carmen listened intently to what Cecily had to say to make her feel better. She felt the other’s hand on her shoulder and felt comforted by her support as a friend. That was what she needed the most, to feel support from people she cared about. As she continued to listen to her words, she had to chuckle when Cecily mentioned the fact that she would make a bet if she wasn’t broke. Carmen shrugged, “I would probably end up loosing it anyways.” She smiled, but it wasn’t a cheery smile that she had flashed before, it held a lot of pain in it. Carmen looked away, this was just silly. She needed to just grow up and move on. She wasn’t going to be able to go back anytime soon, her father had expressed that he hadn’t wanted her going back. She didn’t know why he would try to control her when he was in a war and could be killed at any moment. She sighed, not wanting to let herself slip into that kind of mode. She didn’t need to go back to where she had started, when she had first moved with her grandma. Her grandma had done a lot of healing with Carmen, healing both of them at the same time. It had done a lot for Carmen, and she was forever thankful. She just wished that she could get in touch with her old friends, to ask how they were doing.

No need to apologize at all my friend. It’s good to just let go every once in a while, it’s unhealthy to keep one’s emotions bottled up. Anyway, I don’t mind at all. I’m a good listener. Would you like me to get you a cup of tea, or anything? Tea always makes a person feel better. So does Milo, Milo’s pretty good. “Good for the soul”, that sort of thing.

Carmen smiled, again grateful for how good of a friend Cecily was. “Hmmm, sounds good actually. I’m not much of a tea fan. Milo huh? I have to admit, I’ve heard of it but I’ve never had some.” She paused, a thoughtful look on her face. She smiled, “But I’ll try some if it’s “good for the soul”.” She chuckled, Cecily was definitely brightening up her day. She stretched her legs out, and then rose slowly. Her legs were numb and tingly from sitting for so long. She shook the blood down to her legs, and then slipped her feet into her black flip flops that were warm, from the sun beating down onto them. Grabbing her beach bag, she straightened and fixed her shirt. She glanced down at Cecily and held out her hand, helping her up. When she was standing as well, Carmen started to walk down the dock with her, not sure exactly where they were going. Since she’d never had Milo before, she didn’t know where you could get some. So she just remained at Cecily’s side, following her as they moved along. “Thanks a lot Cecily. For talking to me, it makes my day.” She smiled warmly in the other girl’s direction, then looked down at the ground as the walked off of the large harbour. She glanced around, the grass was a little yellow, but only in patches. There had been quite a few thunder storms that had rolled in the past few days, which had made the grass healthier in spots. Carmen loved rolling around on the grass, like she had with her old friends.

ooc// your posts are fine, don't worry lol. *takes a cookie* yum! lol, I absolutely love chocolate chip cookies. : )

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[Cecily White]

I know exactly how you feel. I really wish that it could be the weekend; at least I get to sleep and relax more. I work at that Café Tropico. But people here seemed more, well relaxed. Which is nice, it makes my job as a waitress a tad bit easier.

Oh, definitely! Cecily batted the air with a hand. I can't imagine that there's anything out there that can cause a stir among this lot. If the sky suddenly went green and started raining almonds, they'd stop and stare a bit, accept that nature is running a slightly alternative course than what is tradition, and carry on about their usual business. She giggled. She finished the rest of her tea and placed the mug beside her, pursing her lips.

The pay’s pretty good too.

A well-paying job is always good, hehe. Cecily chuckled. Her own current job was earning her just enough money to get by, but she wasn't too worried about it. She still lived at home with her parents and little brother, and wasn't really planning on moving out anytime soon. The sketches, paintings and little ornaments she made she would occasionally sell, and would spend the few bucks she earned on spoiling herself with a few things. Nothing big, just little somethings that she'd been eyeing for some time, like a box of incense or a necklace.

Hmmm, sounds good actually. I’m not much of a tea fan. Milo huh? I have to admit, I’ve heard of it but I’ve never had some. But I’ll try some if it’s "good for the soul".

You've never had Milo? My dear, one has not lived until one has had a warm cup of milo. Come, I'll make you some. She laughed, thanking Carmen as she helped her up. Cecily dusted off the back of her jeans, picked up her empty mug and began walking with her friend down the docks and back up towards the street. That stuff is addictive, I kid you not. It's one of those malted milk drinks, except slightly creamier with a subtle chocolate flavour. I always keep a tin at work, so we could head over there and I'll make you a mug. On the house. She grinned, pushing a strand of wavy brown hair behind her ear as a sudden gust of wind blew it into her face.

Thanks a lot Cecily. For talking to me, it makes my day.

Hey, anytime. That's what friends are for. Cecily smiled softly. Oh! Up here. She cocked her head to the left as they reached the little mauve building. She swiftly made her way up the little steps, pushing open the big wooden doors and letting Carmen through. The kitchen is through here, I apologize for the mess. This is generally a messy shop. Though the shop itself was near closing time but still open, the tea garden had already closed, so her boss would most probably not have a problem with them using the kitchen. Indeed it was slightly more chaotic than she had expected, which was a tad bit embarrassing. The walls were white with little grapevines painted onto them that lead all around the kitchen, while the floor was covered with white and bottle-green checkered tiles. Cecily flicked the kettle on, taking two mugs and the large tin of milo from the cupboard and placing them on the counter. She scooped three heaped tablespoons into each mug, poured in a small amount of boiled water, and filled the rest of the mugs with warm milk. She stirred each mug a bit, and passed one of them to Carmen.

Well, cheers. Cecily shrugged, smiling as she lifted her mug into the air and taking a sip.

[wowposter]

(wow power leveling) And (wow gold) under the single-site, preferential policies!