He smiled as his girl. “Then, let’s go sit down love.” He smiled as he took her hand again and walked with her to the bleachers.
Ayla
Ash was fighting with TJ they were both swinging back and forth. Taking punched on each other. Some guy walked up and said “Yo mans. Let’s take a chill pill! It’s a party dudes.” He distracted Ash and Ash looked at him. “You want some too?” Ash said as he bowed up at the guy.
Chris
TJ
Baxter followed Atlas over to the table. He watched him closely as he pulled out one of the sketchbooks. It was eerily silent in the room, but Baxter didn’t mind. “Good, “because silence’s the only thing that doesnt lie.” Baxter then watched him turn to him as he spoke. “People say a lot of things just to fill space. But when its quiet?” Then he saw Atlas tapping his temple as he said “That’s when the real stuff sneaks out.” Baxter nodded his head. His eyes never left from Atlas. He watched Atlas grab one then open the it. Baxter was now looking at the pages of the sketchbook catching glimpses of the drawings. Then Atlas flipped to a page and moved to let Baxter see it. It was a drawing of what looked like 3 boys that were faceless and their shadows behind them looking like a memory. Atlas said nothing as he let Baxter take in the drawing. Baxter wondered the meaning behind it, but figured he wouldn’t press Atlas to talk. He figured if Atlas wanted to talk about it then he would. Then Atlas and Baxter’s eyes met. “Still not scared?” Baxter didn’t waver his look. It wasn’t cocky, it wasn’t a smirk really, or a smile. He reached his hand a grabbed one of Atlas’s in his. “I’m still not scared. While most people think I love the noise and all that because I’m a football player… I actually love the quiet.” He said as he stood there in front of this man his wanted to get to know. They stood there in silence until Atlas broke it. Baxter did this to let Atlas know while he was a jokester… He also had a serious side that understood things he wouldn’t even believe.
Atlas
Zia had smiled when Brooks got off of Scottie. Zia didn’t feel Scottie was worth him getting in trouble. Brooks was about to leave with Zia, but then he heard what Scottie said to him. Brooks when back and punched him again as he said “Fuck you Scottie.” He spit on him then came back to Zia as they started to walk away. “Did you accomplish anything by fighting with him baby?” She asked as they were walking away.
Brooks
As they started to walk away a little Zia asked him if he accomplished anything by fighting. To which he rolled his eyes a little. “Baby I don’t need a lecture ok. We are both fine we didn’t break any bones and no one on the football team will tell on us so we won’t get benched.”
Atlas didnt pull his hand away.
He could have. Part of him even expected to the reflex to shut it all down before it got too real was strong burned into him after too many years of letting people close just to watch them leave or turn ugly. But Baxter’s touch wasnt rough. Wasnt demanding. It was steady. And for once Atlas let himself sit in the quiet without armoring back up.
He looked down at their joined hands for a long second then back up at Baxter’s face searching maybe for the catch he hadnt found yet. But there wasnt one. Just that same grounded seriousness that Atlas wasnt used to seeing from someone who smiled like Baxter did.
Atlas’s thumb brushed once absentmindedly across Baxter’s knuckles. Not exactly a gesture he meant to make just something that slipped through when he forgot to be cautious for a second. His voice when he spoke was low but more honest than before.
“Most people like the noise because it drowns out their own heads.” He paused, studying him again. “Takes a different kind of brave to sit in the silence and not lose your mind.”
There was a weight to his words that hadn’t been there earlier a kind of tired wisdom that said he knew what it was like to lose battles no one else could see.
Finally Atlas gave a small crooked smile nothing flashy, but real. Earned.
“You’re not what I expected Baxter.” His tone was still dry but there was a softness under it now like he was starting to believe Baxter might actually be worth trusting.
Then quietly almost like an afterthought:
“…You wanna see another one?”
Because for Atlas offering to show another drawing offering a second piece of himself was bigger than a kiss bigger than a dare. It was the closest thing to a real “yes” he knew how to give.
Baxter was shocked that Atlas didn’t pull his hand away. He had heard the rumors about Atlas, just like he was sure Atlas heard rumors about him. However, Baxter wasn’t one to believe rumors. he liked to meet people and find stuff out for himself, even if he got hurt in the process. Baxter had stood there in the silence watching Atlas. He watched Atlas look down at their hands.
That’s when he thought Atlas was gonna pull away. However, he didn’t. He left heir hands together. Baxter watched Atlas’s eyes come back to his. Baxter smiled slightly as he felt Atlas’s thumb brush his knuckles. That was something Baxter wasn’t used to. He listened as Atlas talked finally cutting through the silence they were sharing. “Most people like the noise because it drowns out their own heads. Takes a different kind of brave to sit in the silence and not lose your mind.”
He could see Atlas studying him again. Baxter nodded his head at Atlas in agreement with what he said. He did notice Atlas give a small crooked smile. Then Atlas spoke again “You’re not what I expected Baxter.” Baxter raised an eyebrow like asking Is that good or bad Then he asked Baxter “…You wanna see another one?” That’s when he knew that what Atlas had just said was good. It had to be a good thing right? “I would love to see another one cupcake. That first one was amazing. You are talented.” He said being fully honest with him.
Atlas
When Zia yanked Fleur off of Brooks, she fell the other way with her arms flailing, until her body was pressed against the gym floor. She knew that Zia was walking away with Brooks and she wasn’t going to let her get away with that. Without even standing up, she yanked Zia’s hair and used that to stand up. Alexander quickly walked over to Fleur and held her back before anything else happened.
"You can’t even keep a guy…”
All TJ could see was red, even when a random guy he had never seen before walked up to them to stop the fight. TJ took off his sneaker and aimed it at Ash’s head but instead it hit the other students head who was probably a freshman.
Isaiah smiled when Ava started kissing him on the bed. He lightly ran his hands through her blue hair after taking her scrunchie off. They explored each others bodies and his hands roamed over her tattoos and warm skin. He felt like he was having the best time of his life.
When they were done, Isaiah laid in bed underneath the covers, staring at the ceiling. Then he decided to pull a cigarette pack out of his drawer. Unfortunately his drawer was now reminding him of that creepy altar that was placed on top of it, but he tried not to think about it. He laid back and lit one of the cigarettes. Then he started smoking, letting out slow puffs. He glanced at Ava. “Sorry, I didn’t know if you wanted one, or if you’re okay with it.”
This time, Arya didn’t pull away when Liam held her again. There was no way she could. There was something about him that was enticing her. She thought about how she hadn’t had any… Action… In a long time, let alone a boyfriend or even a girlfriend. “Sure, we can stay here a bit.” Her eyes met Liam’s as she looked up.
@ChayChay05 for all
@SotaForgotten - Chris/TJ/Ash
@Kate - Brooks Mentioned
Hyun - Jae was scared. Like deathly afraid. This was exactly why he didn’t go to parties. Now two fights were breaking out. Hyun - Jae just stared at everyone, hoping not to somehow get punched in the crossfire. That was when he heard someones voice. It was like the sound of a hummingbird emerging within a sea of smoke from bombs exploding.
“Huh? Y-yeah of course.” He didn’t waste any time. He did exactly what he saw in movies. Start by leading the girl forward by the small of her back and walk slowly as to not rush her or make her stumble. When they got on the dance floor he just sort of stood there, not knowing what to do next. He started holding the small of her back again but he sort of looked like a mannequin. He didn’t want to put his hands anywhere inappropriate.
@SotaForgotten - Zira
Amias saw his brother Alexander from afar pulling his friend Fleur away so another fight couldn’t start. Amias shook his head and leaned on his fist, just watching everything go down. Knowing how Fleur was, that’s why their relationship didn’t last long. He looked at Kai who had just witnessed another fight even before this. Kai was quiet just like him but for some reason he had never gotten to know him. “These school parties eh?” He said with a smile.
@bpalmer - Kai
Atlas huffed a soft almost disbelieving breath through his nose at the cupcake comment but this time there was no irritation behind it. Just that same quiet surprise that kept threading tighter around him the longer Baxter stood there and didn’t ask for anything but the truth.
“You’re gonna wear that nickname out” Atlas muttered but there was no bite to it. His mouth twitched again half a smirk half a real smile before he looked down at the sketchbook still open between them.
He thumbed a few pages deeper the paper crackling faintly under his fingers. Most of the drawings were dark heavy strokes of charcoal places where he’d pressed the lines so hard the page nearly tore. Some were abstract shapes twisting into things that almost looked like monsters if you stared too long. Some were too real bruised knuckles and old scars or hollow eyed kids that no one else probably realized were selfportraits.
Atlas hesitated at one page a rough unfinished sketch of two hands reaching for each other but never quite touching. Like the space between them was too wide too heavy to cross.
He hesitated then flipped one more page past it. Showed Baxter a different one.
It was a wolf. No cage no collar no background just a wolf sketched in wild chaotic lines midsnarl but free.
Atlas shifted slightly watching Baxter’s face instead of the drawing this time almost like he was bracing for something. Approval. Disgust. Pity. He didn’t know. Didn’t want to know. But he couldn’t stop himself from needing something.
“Most people don’t get past the first few pages” he said roughly voice a little lower now more serious. “They don’t want to see what’s underneath the easy stuff.”
A beat. His fingers still linked lightly with Baxter’s gave the faintest squeeze barely there but deliberate.
“You still good gymnast?”
The question was casual on the surface but there was something else buried in it a challenge maybe. A warning. Or a hope he wasn’t ready to name yet.
Because if Baxter said yes again after everything he was being shown then Atlas was gonna have to admit that maybe just maybe someone finally wasn’t scared of the real him.
He laid there as brooks had spit on him and left. It felt like a ton of bricks had finally been lifted off of him. His arms fell besides him as he laid there, just trying to focus on breathing and figuring out if anything was broken. He just knew he was in pain, and most of it was in his hand and arm.
Kuri came over to him and nudged him with her foot. “You alive?” He chuckled weakly as he shood her foot away. “Unfortunately.” She helped him up.
Once he was on his two feet again, he wiped off the spit with his free hand. Noticing she hadn’t let go of his other hand. Looking at her, he raised an eyebrow at her. “Let’s get out of here… I’ll help you clean up.” He didn’t understand what she meant by that. He thought he was fine. Though he could taste the blood in his mouth from that last punch from Brooks, but he didn’t think nothing of it.
Kuri
Marco had smiled and took her hand before he lead them over to the bleachers. She promptly sat down. “That feels so much better.” She smiled.
Marco
Ash looked him up. “You want some too?” Ash then bowed up towards him. He put his hands up as if saying take it easy. His attention was on Ash that he hadn’t seen TJ take off his sneaker and throw it at the back of his head. “Oof!” He brought his hand up to the spot the shoe had hit him and was rubbing it gently. He turned around to glanced at TJ. “Really dude?! Like… Really?” He couldn’t believe some upper classmen could be so childish.
TJ & Ash
“Oh, that’s how it is?” She hummed slightly. She was curious where this was going. “Thats a line you throw when you want someone to chase…Dangerous game sweetheart. I tend to catch what I chase.”
She parted her lips slightly, her tongue pressing against the roof of her mouth as she glanced down and slowly looking him up before replying. “Is it really a chase if the prey isn’t running?” She felt the thrill of the challenge, the thrill of who was the prey.
She watched curiously as he looked at the chaos of a room they were in. Feeling her own attention being drawn out towards the crowd as well. It felt like the once light hearted, high spirt of the party had turned rather too quickly. She wondered if any of the teachers would actually do anything about the chaos on hand.
“This party’s dead… But there’s a rooftop a few floors up locked to most not to me. Quiet. Good view. Plenty of shadows.” Slowly she turned her head as she had to peel her sights off of the chaos and back to him. “We could talk. Or not talk. Depends how interesting you feel like being… Unless you’re the type who likes to watch the world fall apart and call it a night well spent.”
She looked back towards the chao of the party, scanning the faces to see if her cousin was there. When she didn’t see him there, she smirked slightly to herself. Humming a slight note before she turned her head to face him. "How interesting I veel like being all depends on yourself."She took a small step towards him as she placed a hand on his chest. Slowly trailing her fingertips up before removing her hand all together.
Ro
He didn’t waste time. Placing a hand on her back, he lead the way to the dance floor. She didn’t find any problems keeping up with him since he wasn’t rushing them to the dance floor.
They had gotten to the dance floor and she stood in front of him, blushing. But he seemed kind of frozen…almost like a mannequin. “You…know we don’t have to dance if you’re not feeling up for it… We can go somewhere else and just talk or something…” She looked down at her feet. Not entirely sure what she was doing.
Hyun - Jae
Ash was distracted by the freshman looking kid. When He saw TJ take off his shoe. It hit the kid inside of Ash. “Thank god you aren’t the quarterback. Cuz if you were we would lose every game.” He chuckled. Then the guy said “Really dude?! Like… Really?” Ash chuckled and then tackled TJ to the ground. He throw in a few more punches then got up and walked out the gym. He needed to clean up before going to see Jennifer at ST Andrews.
Chris- Sota
TJ- Kbail
Zia was walking off with Brooks. Broooks said “Baby I don’t need a lecture ok. We are both fine we didn’t break any bones and no one on the football team will tell on us so we won’t get benched.” She sighed then all of a sudden she felt someone pull her hair. “What the actual F^CK!” She said as she turned around and saw the vampire guy pulling Fleur back. “Like are we five and on the playground? If you want to fight we can!” She said as she dropped Brooks hand and walked closer to Fleur.
Brooks
Fleur & X
Baxter chuckle lightly as Atlas said “You’re gonna wear that nickname out” Baxter watched carefully as Atlas turned the pages in the sketchbook. He was trying to see as much as possible. He could tell Atlas was a closed off type guy, much like himself. He saw a few that looked like kid. Baxter looked at the one he stopped on. He noticed it was two hands that looked like they were reaching for each other, but not touching.
Then Atlas flipped to the next page suddenly. This one was cool. It was a wolf snarling. “Your drawings are amazing…” Then Atlas said *“Most people don’t get past the first few pages. They don’t want to see what’s underneath the easy stuff.” They stood there hand in hand as Baxter took in the picture. “You still good gymnast?” Baxter nodded his head. “Yeah, I’m good.” He said as he looked up to meet Atlas’s gaze. Baxter’s blue eyes meeting Atlas’s s^xy green eyes.
Atlas
She looked at him as they started walking. “Is that okay? I mean… I can just let you be…” She said as she looked down at the floor in front of her as they walked. “Thanks… by the way… You know… for taking up for me.” She was shocked he hadn’t let go of her hand, but as if finally noticing they were holding hands… She loosened her hand, not dropping his hand but not holding it tight. It was as if they were now barley holding hands. She didn’t want to upset him, but she also didn’t want him to think that she liked him all of a sudden.
Scottie
Marco smiled as she sat down. She said “That feels so much better.” Marco nodded as he stood in front of her. “Glad baby. I love you… You are so beautiful.”
Ayla
Ava smiled as they kissed. She was enjoying everything they were doing. He started out sweetly by taking her hair down as they kissed. After everything was said and done she laid there breathless. She felt Isaiah moving. She looked over and watched him closely. He reached in the drawer beside his bed. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He then pulled one out and lit it. She smiled as he looked at her and said “Sorry, I didn’t know if you wanted one, or if you’re okay with it.” Ava kissed his cheek. “It doesn’t bother me. Both my parents smoked while I was growing up. I smoke sometimes.”
Isaiah
Liam smiled as she said they could stay there. “Cool, I want to get to know you Arya… What makes you tick?” He said as he turned his head to look at her. She turned at the same time and their faces were only inches apart now. He held his ground. If she wanted them to kiss she had to make the move.
Arya
Atlas held Baxter’s gaze longer than he meant to.
Usually, he didn’t look people in the eye for too long—not unless he was trying to scare them off. But Baxter wasn’t flinching. He wasn’t looking away. And somehow, that felt more intimate than the way their hands were still lightly tangled together between them.
A slow exhale slipped from Atlas’s chest, almost like some knot he didn’t know he’d been carrying had loosened just a little.
“Good,” he said quietly, voice a little rougher around the edges now. “’Cause I’m not really the type that shows the easy stuff.”
He should’ve pulled away then. Should’ve cracked a joke or said something to shove the moment back into safer territory. That was the script—flirt, fight, vanish. Keep it light. Keep it forgettable.
But he didn’t.
Instead, Atlas turned his hand slightly, threading his fingers more deliberately through Baxter’s now, anchoring the connection instead of letting it slip away. His thumb brushed against the inside of Baxter’s wrist—a slow, grounding touch, like he needed the reminder that this was real and not just another night blurred by noise and bad decisions.
Atlas tilted his head slightly, studying Baxter the way someone might study a sketch still unfinished—seeing the lines, the promise, the risk of messing it all up.
“You’re not what I expected either,” he admitted, the words slipping out low and a little reluctant. Honest. Too honest.
Then, smirking faintly to soften the edge of it, he added, “Maybe you’re a better artist than you thought, gymnast. You’re pretty good at getting under my skin.”
His voice was teasing, but the weight behind it—the trust starting to flicker awake—wasn’t something he could fake.
And this time, he didn’t step away.
She reached out and took both of his hands in hers as she smiled at him. “I love you too, handsome…Is there anything you want to do?”
Marco
He looked at his hand that was still hurting, opening his hand and closing it a few times. “Is that okay? I mean… I can just let you be…” Looking over to see she was looking at the floor as they walked. “Do whatever you want…” His words came out harsher than he wanted but his mind was still on the pain in his hand and arm. “Thanks…By the way… You know… for taking up for me.” Her hand that was holding his, loosened. “Mhmm…” He looked away.
Kuri
He could tell that she anted to give him a lecture but it was more because she cares and worries and doesn’t want him to et in trouble than the whole right from wrong thing. As they started to walk away he noticed his girl’s head move and when he looked he saw the blonde girl {Fluer} pulled her and the he eard his girl say and said that she would fight if that is what the girl wanted. “Baby are you sure you want to do that? You just lectured me on the whole fighting thing. And blonde hair girl thanks for trying to stop the fight.” He also noticed the vampire dude was trying to pull fluer back. Which he nodded as in saying thanks to the vampire guy.
Baxter just stood there with Atlas. The silence was enjoyable. Especially with how busy Baxter’s life normally was. “Good, Cause I’m not really the type that shows the easy stuff.” Baxter stood there quietly for a moment longer than he meant to before speaking. “I think the harder things to show is what really defines us… It’s easy to show the easy stuff. I know showing the harder stuff makes you feel vulnerable.” In this moment he was talking about his hard stuff.
Then Atlas turned his hand just a little. Interlocking their fingers tighter. This helped anchor Baxter, and Baxter figured it probably helped anchor Atlas as well. Baxter felt chills run down his back when Atlas brushed his thumb against the inside of his wrist.
That when Atlas said “You’re not what I expected either.” Baxter looked at him. “I’ve learned not to expect much from anyone… Then you can’t be let down.” He said as they stood there for a moment in silence again. Then Atlas had a small smirk on his face as he added “Maybe you’re a better artist than you thought, gymnast. You’re pretty good at getting under my skin.”
This made Baxter chuckle a little. He wasn’t sure if getting under Atlas’s skin was a good thing or not. “I’m on artist on the football field and in the ocean when I’m surfing.” He glanced down at their hands squeezing lightly. “Is me getting under your skin good or bad though Atlas?” He asked as he let it hang in the air the way Atlas’s name came out his mouth. It wasn’t serious or playful, but there was definitely meaning behind it.
Atlas
He msiled as she took both his hands in hers. Then she said she loved him too. She also asked what he wanted to do. “I don’t care what we do… as long as I’m with you.”
Ayla
Kuri was walking with Scottie not looking at him. Then he said “Do whatever you want…” His words cut deeper then she expected them to. The harshness in his voice feeling like a kn^fe going through her heart, or into her back. However, she didn’t let that stop her from trying to help him. She glanced over at him just to see him looking away as he said *“Mhmm…” She sighed heavily as she thought of what to do. Here they were walking away hand in hand, and yet he found a way to be an @$$. He really was living up to the rumors she heard about in at orientation from other students. She decided to release his hand as they made it to the exit. She looked at him. “Just because I am offering to help you bandage up your hand or whatever you need… Doesn’t mean I like you… I’m just being nice.” She felt like she was at the end of a rope hanging off a 10 foot building, just dangling there in the air.
Scottie
Zia was ready to fight this stupid girl. She was getting on Zia’s last nerve. Then Brooks talked to her. “Baby are you sure you want to do that? You just lectured me on the whole fighting thing. And blonde hair girl thanks for trying to stop the fight.” Zia sighed as she heard Brooks words. She rolled her eyes at the last thing that Brooks had said. How could he thank this b^mbo b^tch who clearly likes him. She looked back and forth between Brooke and Fleur a few times. Then she grabbed Brooks by the hand and walked away. She didn’t give Fleur a chance to say anything. She was done with this party. Once they got a good distance away from them, she looked at Brooks… “Baby… Can we please just get out of here then? Cuz I have a feeling if we don’t… I will end up fighting her.” She said to him being honest.
Brooks
Fleur
Fleur tried pulling away from Alexander, but it was no use, he was stronger than her. “Just be glad you’re far away!” Fleur rolled her eyes and sat on the bleachers next to Alexander. “She’s such a bitch..” She mumbled. She sat slumped over with a frown, just watching the party.
Approachable
@ChayChay05 - Zia Mentioned
@Kate - Brooks Mentioned.
When Liam’s eyes met hers, Arya’s hunger intensified. What was this feeling overwhelming her? There was only one thing to do about it. She gently put her finger on his lips and trailed it down to his chin. “Well, you definitely don’t make me tick…” Her voice was soft and gentle. All of a sudden, she pressed her lips on his and then got on his lap. Arya didn’t know what was coming over her but now her shirt was off. She tossed it on the floor and she began to undo her bra.
@ChayChay05 - Liam
Atlas’s smirk deepened, but this time there was something almost fond hiding underneath it—a glint of real warmth that he hadn’t let anyone see in a long time.
He squeezed Baxter’s hand back, subtle but sure, like he wasn’t ready to break the connection just yet. Not when it was the only thing keeping him from snapping back into the version of himself that stayed cold and untouchable.
“You getting under my skin…” Atlas repeated, his voice low, thoughtful, almost tasting the words like he was deciding what to do with them.
He shrugged lightly, but it wasn’t his usual indifferent shrug. It was slower, heavier. Honest.
“It’s not bad,” he said, finally meeting Baxter’s eyes again, holding him there. “It’s just… dangerous.”
There was no threat in the way he said it. No walls thrown up, no cheap shots to push Baxter away. Just the raw, unvarnished truth—the kind of truth that didn’t come easy for someone like Atlas, who had spent years learning that needing people only led to getting burned.
Dangerous, because letting someone close meant giving them a weapon they could use to hurt you.
Atlas looked down for a beat, thumb still tracing a slow, absent pattern along the inside of Baxter’s wrist—more vulnerable than maybe even he realized.
Then, quieter, almost like he was confessing it without meaning to:
“Most people… they get close just long enough to prove why I shouldn’t have let ‘em.”
A pause. His green eyes lifted back to Baxter’s, harder now but not cruel—more like he was bracing himself.
“You gonna be different, gymnast?”
It wasn’t asked with desperation. It wasn’t even hopeful. It was just raw, battered wanting buried under every scar Atlas had ever tried to hide.
And for once, he didn’t hide it.
