03.2023 | WELCOME BACK! Hello friends old and new! I'm so excited to welcome you all back to SITW! I've made some changes to the plot and added the ability to play supernatural charcaters! So come and check it out! I can't wait to jump back into this little town with all of you!
A strange history surrounds the town, it is a place where mysterious and supernatural things have been known to happen. The reputation of the town reguarly draws in visitors and newcomers alike. While some residents avidly believe in the supernatural, others are far more skeptical. What do you believe?
Milo shrugged as if he didn't care about his situation. The truth was that of course he cared. He'd have to watch his friends graduate and he's be left in the dust to be stuck in high school for another year. It was far from ideal but he also knew it was his own damn fault. He should have put more effort into making sure this didn't happen.
"She said my choices are to re-do my senior year or take the GED. I can do summer school but it won't be enough to cover all my credits so I'll have to do some classes during the year too." It would mean a lighter load during the year and more free time but it also meant summer school. He was undecided on what he wanted to do. The only thing he did know was that he didn't want to take the GED.
"It's fine, I'll just re-do it," he ran his fingers through his dark curls and didn't make eye contact with either of them.
Ida took a swig of beer to cover her annoyance as he shrugged. Why were they just hearing about this now? Surely Milo had known he was in trouble for a while. A little part of her couldn't help but feel hurt, but mostly she was embarrassed. Had she really been that off the ball when it came to Milo? What did it say about their friendship if she hadn't even seen this coming?
Pushing those questions aside, Ida focused on the moment at hand. She flipped through her emotional Rolodex decided the best route was to play it cool. "I mean, so you have to do a few classes next year. Big deal. I've got no grand plans to go anywhere. It'll be the same - same trailer, same beer, same bad jokes." When Ida said it out loud, it sounded much less appealing than she wanted it to. What was going to become of them? He hadn't even let herself think beyond graduation. Was she staying in Sweetwater? Was Ellis D.? It's not like there were opportunities waiting for her anywhere else. And the only people she cared about we're right here in this trailer.
She smiled and lay a reassuring hand on Milo's knee. "Comforting" was not something she excelled at. But Milo was one of the most important people in her life. He'd always been there for her. Ida had to take any opportunity to return the favor.
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Apr 2, 2021 0:06:50 GMT
Ellis D. shook his head at Milo.
“Dude, take the GED. Don’t waste away in high school for a whole extra year. Take a cram course. You have the cash flow to fail the tests more than once.” He shook his head again and took a swig of his beer. Swallowing quickly, he added, “I’d never repeat senior year.” Both Milo and Ida knew he was already a year older than the average senior, but he had just not gone to school—he’d never repeated a grade.
“Both of you are acting dumb.” Ellis D. concluded after Ida’s words. “Rivera, you’re hella competent and can do anything you put your mind to. Don’t waste away in the asshole of Sweetwater.” He was getting worked up. Ellis D. thought highly of both of his friends, and to see them dejected—but playing it casual—was upsetting. He was the one who was stuck. He was the one never getting out. They had to do it on his behalf.
“You know what, forget it.” Clearly this had become his own problem. He set his beer down on the counter and let himself out of the trailer. He’d sink down on the back steps and procure a cigarette and lighter from his pocket. His brow rest low over his eyes.
Milo nodded slowly at Ida's comforting words but Ellis D. took on a whole different approach. He didn't respond before his friend stepped out of the trailer in frustration. Milo wasn't happy with him and had no intentions of going out after him. He didn't like being around Ellis D., or anyone, when they had an attitude. He wasn't a 'get serious or real' kind of guy. He'd rather brood on the inside and act like an idiot on the outside.
Once the door closed behind his angry friend, Milo glanced at Ida. "But if I repeat the year at least I get to do all the school activity stuff again. Prom take 2?" he said with a smirk. He sat up, removing his leg from off of Ida. Besides, didn't a GED not look as good on his record to future employers or colleges than if he had a high school diploma? He didn't really know, he hadn't taken the time to do any research about it.
"I gotta pee," he announced. He set his beer down on the nearest flat surface before standing and removing himself to step into the bathroom.
“Prom take 2?” “I’ll pencil you into my calendar.” Ida grinned, feeling reassured of her place in the world. Her friendship with Milo was like a favorite pair of shoes. Well trod, exceedingly comfortable, and completely irreplaceable. But Ellis D.’s departing words still hung in the air. “Rivera, you’re hella competent and can do anything you put your mind to. Don’t waste away in the asshole of Sweetwater.”
Comfortable mediocrity. That’s how things were in Sweetwater. Hanging out, drinking, having a few laughs. Going to school, going to work, going through the motions. The things that sucked (and boy, there were plenty of them) were things she’d become accustomed to. A hardship that she knew well, devoid of all mystery. Ida was too ashamed to admit that leaving terrified her. But Ellis D. - as he so often did - had a way of calling her on her bullshit.
But this wasn’t about her. This wasn’t about Ellis D., either. This was about Milo. What they hell were they doing, anyway? Ida, so ready to tell him to hang back and take another year so that they could relive old times. Ellis D., storming off after something struck a nerve. What good were either of them doing Milo right now?
She opened her mouth to say something, but just as she did Milo extricated himself from the sofa. “I gotta pee.” Watching him walk away, her annoyance grew to include Milo. “Great talk guys.” She said to the empty room. “Really think we made some progress here. I'll just sit here alone and wait for everyone to sort themselves out.” After a moment, she rolled her eyes and stood up. Not knowing how long Milo was going to be, Ida pulled her shirt back down and put Inspector Marmalade away for good. It felt like the party was over, but she wasn’t ready to let it go down without a fight.
She picked up Ellis D.’s beer from the counter and opened the door. The air was cool, but felt good, so she propped the door to the trailer open so Milo would know where she’d gone. Ida liked to joke that Hank’s trailer was “prime real estate” since the back steps faced the garbage-filled woods and not another trailer. Mostly it meant that they could smoke and drink out back without anyone giving them any grief. People on this side of town had bigger fish to fry anyways.
Ellis D. had already pulled out a cigarette, and Ida could tell from the furrow in his brow that he was not in a playing around mood. Even so, she plopped down next to him and smiled. “Tough crowd in there.” Ida said, trying to make light of the situation. “You made some good points. If you ask me, I’d give you a 10 for content and a 3 for delivery.” She smiled, holding out her hand for a drag of the cigarette. “But don’t worry. Your words have been taken under advisement.”
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Apr 3, 2021 2:57:41 GMT
Ellis D. heard their voices inside, heard their movement, and choked on the guilty feeling of not wanting to be around them—and not for the first time. They’d been generous to take him back after he’d essentially ditched them for almost two years, preferring the company of his Vanderson girlfriend and her friends. It had been so different with them. More fake, for sure; they had just as much hurt and brokenness in their families, but nice cars, big houses, and cash pouring from their fingertips masked their unhappiness. It put their society miles apart, unlike the tight knit community in the trailer park of all the people trying to get by. Still...they hadn’t been in redeemable. There was the promise. The future. The ability to do anything, to make anything of themselves that not one of Alexis’ peers questioned. Sitting on the steps, drawing on his cigarette, Ellis D. wanted to go back to an atmosphere of hope. Potential. He’d been the failure and dead end among them, but here, with Ida and Milo, it was almost as if he was the most promising...and he didn’t even have a dream.
He didn’t flinch when Ida joined him on the stairs. He wouldn’t be surprised if Milo left. Ellis D. had a habit of sulking, and Milo had a habit of running from feelings. Only Ida had the wits to stand either of them extensively.
“Get your own.” He muttered, hot gaze set on the trees. Really, even he knew he was overly invested in all this. He shouldn’t care about Milo. Let him waste another year of life. It shouldn’t bother him so much.
After a long pause Ellis D. did offer Ida the cig. He could only play mean for so long.
Ellis D. wasn’t wrong. He knew Milo enough to know his habits. They both did. He hadn’t needed to pee. Ellis D. had left the room and he had a feeling that Ida wanted to join him where Milo had no desire to do so right now. He stepped into the bathroom and leaned against the wall just listening. Sure enough, he heard the door not long after he left as Ida went outside.
He was doing her a favor, or that’s what he told himself. Still, she always chose Ellis D. lately. She could have stayed in the room and waited for him to come back from the bathroom. Maybe they didn’t think he noticed how much closer the two of them had been lately. He did.
He stood in front of the mirror and stared at himself for a minute. He sighed and ran his fingers through his curls again, before mussing up his hair and pulling a few springs in front of his face, tugging them until they bounced back up.
So he had to redo a year of high school, BFD, who cared? Certainly not him. Ya. Good pep talk, Milo.
He waited for little longer then quietly opened the door to the bathroom, snagged his longboard, and then snuck out the back of the trailer out of sight of his friends. He wasn’t in the mood to be stuck talking about his shit future or his business endeavors. They had already guessed to close to this time and he know he couldn’t lie to them forever.
Ida waited a beat after Ellis D. snapped at her and, sure enough, after a moment he offered her the cigarette. With both Ellis D. and Milo, she always felt like she was riding the waves. Knowing them well enough to predict the swells and tides. Still, between both of them, right now things felt more uneasy than they had in a long time. She handed the cigarette back to Ellis D., feeling a little nauseous. She stood there in silence, listening to the muffled sounds of the trailer park. Then Ida listened for Milo, but heard no sounds coming from the inside of the trailer. She could only assume that he had slipped away. Great. Another conflict carefully avoided. She hated not knowing where he was so much of the time, what he was up to. Something was missing, and Ida wasn't quite sure how to put the pieces back together again.
The wind had left her sails, and Ida's desire to party was gone. She finished the rest of the warming beer, feeling drowsy. "I'm going in. This party sucks." There was no malice in Ida's voice, just exhaustion Not waiting for any reply, she turned and trundled back into the trailer.
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Apr 3, 2021 23:28:59 GMT
Ellis D. didn’t care if Milo left. That is, he did, but he was choosing not to. He almost left, but decided not to be the one to walk away.
In the end, they both left him. And that was good. He hoped they left reconsidering what they’d said. He hoped they took a good look at themselves and their futures and tried. Pushed. Grew. Succeeded. Then they could return to Sunny Parks once a year and tell Ellis D. everything about their lives as they lived their dreams. Maybe that was his dream...
He’d remain on the back steps and finish his cigarette before resignedly tossing the extinguished butt towards the woods and stepping next door to his trailer. The yelling of his mother met his ears before he was inside. Joy.