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?
It's PROM NIGHT for the Juniors and Seniors of Hollifield High School! Taking place on a Saturday from 6:30pm to 11:30pm. Chaperones arrived at 6:00pm and include Principal Jack Hollifield as well as Kalena Irwin, @kali, and Nadine Cartier.
The theme for the evening is 'A Night Under the Stars' and as you walk into the school there you first hand over your tickets to a woman sitting at a folding table by the doors. She directs you to a classroom on the left where there is a photographer with a background set up that depicts a enlarged copy of Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night. After having your photo take you will head towards the gym which is decorated with twinkle lights and stars in a variety of shapes and sizes. The lights are dimmed to create a nicer ambiance and there is a long buffet table on one side that has a variety of finger foods and beverages.
The music is provided by a live band of rotating local artists, including @zane.
Have fun, make smart choices, and enjoy your prom!
Post by Alexis Vanderson on Mar 30, 2021 18:28:00 GMT
Alexis could have had her pick of the litter on who to take with her to prom but she had ended up decided that it would be more memorable for her senior year if she went with a group of friends rather than going with some random guy that she didn't care about. If Ellis D. hadn't decided to follow after his trailer park friends then maybe they'd still be together and she could have gone with him. It would have been her preference of course but that wasn't how things had turned out. So with the support of her friends, including @wei, reminding her of what a loser he was, they showed up at prom as a group of girls.
The girls had gone to dinner in the next city over before showing up at prom in a rented limo. Her parents would spare no expense for their daughter's last prom, especially if she was going without a date and they therefore didn't have to worry about her getting knocked up. She wore a long black low-cut prom dress with lace on the sides. Her hair was done long and straight and she had perfected her smoky eye look. She had her nails done and everything was perfect.
Part of her hoped that Ellis D. just wouldn't come, and part of her wanted to show off to him exactly what he was missing.
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Mar 30, 2021 19:27:37 GMT
Oh, Ellis D. was coming, and he'd be attending in the very same outfit he'd worn to last year's prom (only without the red). The black pants, button-up, and jacket were tailored to his form, fitting like expensive clothing should (courtesy of Alexis, of course). Last year he'd donned a red bowtie and pocket square to match his date, but tonight those were missing in favor of one extra button undone at his neck. There was some poetic justice to wearing the same suit, but there was also the sad reality that he'd never be able to afford a different one to wear anyway.
And unlike Alexis, Ellis D. wasn't attending alone.
He hopped out of Hank's truck and shut the door behind him, scanning the parking lot for others. They didn't come at the very beginning of things, of course. He knew better than to show up on time--Alexis had taught him that. They were a good thirty-seven minutes past starting time.
Ellis D. rounded the truck, and for a second he could hardly believe he was there. This wasn't his cup of tea. But something raw and bitter in him was glad to be there. He couldn't know what the night held in store, but he felt a flutter anticipation for it.
He opened Ida's door and offered a hand, getting another drink of how she'd gussied up for the occasion.
Ida was always the one playing pretend. Her normal life was a shell that she filled with humor and fantasy to escape from the bleakness of mediocrity. But tonight - for its clichés - was already magical. The nurses that Ellis D. had befriended on his night shift had made a masterpiece out of her. Nothing like a motherless girl with a sob story to make them pull out all the stops. They’d swapped out her flannel and ratty jeans for a red, shimmering gown. Her unruly curls had been softened into delicate tresses framing her picture perfect face. For once in her life, she didn’t have to pretend. Tonight, the real Ida felt good enough.
She gazed up at Ellis D. with pure admiration. He was a sight to behold. The tux was doing him all kinds of favors, though she hoped it was here for its fit rather than the memories it carried. Ida told herself that Alexis was something that existed only on the edges of his mind, but she couldn't help but feel that somehow she still had a hold on him. But tonight, it was about the two of them, and only them. She would make sure of it. Ida slipped her small hand into his, warming to his touch.
Ida followed him inside. The school had been transformed into something glamorous, like out of a magazine. For a moment, a sense of overwhelming anxiety struck her. This place had done nothing but hurt her, but for the first time she wasn’t going to let it - these people - win. Just as the wave subsided, her gaze fell upon Alexis. Her heart sank. As to be expected, Alexis was absolutely stunning. Not a hair was out of place, everything was polished and glimmering. But Ida stood up straight, she lifted her chest, and laced her fingers into Ellis D.’s, leaning in close. “Let’s go, Papi.” She said with a playful wink. "Surely there's a punch bowl around here somewhere. They have those at these things, right?"
Post by Price Vanderson on Mar 31, 2021 12:23:28 GMT
Price was a junior in college, certainly past his high school prime, but you didn’t have to be in high school to attend high school prom; you just had to have a high school date. His had already arrived, this Price walked in alone.
The air turned and attention shifted as the former king of Hollifield High stepped to the doors that led into the star-decorated gym. The Vanderson heir was dressed to impress in a snazzy navy suit. His hair was slicked back, a five o’clock shadow rest on his face, and the slight twist of his lips told of his uncontested confidence, his in shaking certainty in who he was, where he was, and why he was there, gracing them with his presence.
“Amanda.” He drawled his date’s name, raising a hand in greeting as he casually stepped towards her. She was one of Alexis’ good friends, one of the ones attending her single girl group. No matter what his sister claimed, no one wanted to attend prom alone. Only losers. Price had called it out and exposed it when Amanda was at a sleepover with Alexis, and now he had a ticket and was attending. Would it torment his little sister? Surely. But it was all in good fun.
“Oh, hey Lexi.” Price grinned at his kin and tossed her a wink.
Post by Jack Hollifield on Mar 31, 2021 12:47:36 GMT
Jack, like the other chaperones, had arrived earlier than the students. The chaperones were on a volunteer basis but that didn't necessarily mean that all of them wanted to be there. Jack, on the other hand, was more than happy to be at prom. His presence usually helped to ensure the students would be on better behavior and he actually found high schoolers to be quite amusing with their petty drama that seemed so important in the moment but they would come to learn later in life that it didn't matter at all.
He was dressed in a tan suit with a white shirt and no tie and for the moment was hovering in the corner, observing.
Milo had originally planned to go to prom by himself and he had been totally okay with that. However, after a chance encounter with @journey he had ended up asking her out on a whim and was excited when she actually agreed. Now that he knew Ellis D. Youngblood and @ida were going together, it would have been a huge bummer to show up as a third wheel. He didn't really like seeing them together like that, even if they were just going as friends. It felt weird and unnatural to him but he didn't say anything about it to them.
He picked Journey up at her house in his old black sedan. It was exactly the sort of car you'd expect a teenager to have, especially one who didn't have a lot of extra money at his disposal. He was a couple minutes late too. As he got out of the car he brushed his curls back out of his face and knocked on the door. He wore a black suit jacket over a white buttoned shirt with the top two buttons undone, no tie, and white Converse shoes. It was stylish, okay! He hadn't forgot the flowers she demanded and brought her a light blue wrist corsage to match her dress.
They went to Rosie's diner for dinner, nothing special and there were at least another dozen couples there. He was surprised when they only had to wait for 5 minutes before getting a table. He could have taken her to the next town over for something nicer but decided it would be easier to stay close and Rosie's was better than a drive thru and he didn't think that bean farts from Los Diablos made for a good pre-prom meal.
Soon enough they made it to prom and were directed off to the side to get their picture taken. After taking a normal photo Milo scooped her up in his arms and tossed out a peace sign with his fingers from under her legs.
To think that she had planned on going to her senior prom as the third wheel. The quirky, quiet friend that would just be there for a dance or two and enjoy her friends when they were not dancing with their dates. It wasn't that she was no fun at all, those who truly knew her knew that she could be a lot of fun. But not a lot of people wanted to ask the quiet girl from their class to prom when they knew so little about her. Milo Laurent was apparently the exception to that. Casually rolling up, on a longboard, and asking her to go with him as they both didn't have dates.
She didn't look at this as a 'young love' birds kind of a deal. They had both said they rather just go together than be the third wheel. To her that set the mindset that this was a friend thing in a way. The two had even chatted a little over text until the day arrived. Her light blue dress was nothing grand and special, but it made her feel beautiful which was all that mattered to her. Milo was a bit late, which might have given her a little doubt that he had bailed on her, until the knock on her door came. She thought he looked handsome, and perfectly himself in the suit he wore. Before they left her apartment, she showed him the hidden bee she had drawn on one of her knees, a joke that they had made over text about being 'the bee's knees'.
Dinner was just right if you asked her. Anything flashier and she would have protested. Journey was actually enjoying their time so by the time they arrived to the actual prom, there was a bright smile on her face. The picture booth made her hesitate outside of it, used to taking selfies but not in front of a big camera normally. But Milo's confidence had her following him in and posing as she had seen in so many other movies. Only for a small burst of laughter to leave her as she was literately swept off her feet. Her arms wrapping his shoulders as she playfully stuck her tongue out while scrunching her nose up lightly in their second picture. She wanted that one way over the first one.
When her feet were solidly back on the ground, she lead their way out of the way for the next group to step forward and took in the rest of the prom that had been set up.
"Sweetheart, your hand." Kalena said patiently, tenderly, feeling a generous dose of sympathy for the awkward girl who was taking a picture with her even more awkward date. "You can't put it...here, let me show you." She was monitoring the progression from picture taking to the main event room. That should have not been necessary but everyone knew that high schoolers could be absolute morons. She stood outside the doors in a casual grey dress, the material cotton so no one got the idea that she was here to make an impression; she just always looked good. While she wanted to mind her own business, the professional photographer wasn't being picky about poses and letting the kids make terrible, terrible mistakes. Kalena wasn't so gracious towards imperfection.
She crossed the room in long strides, making her three inch heels look easy, and gently took the student's hand and moved it to a more appropriate place.
"Right there. See that? Helps you stand straighter and doesn't make him look like he has a hand growing out of his neck." She smiled and winked and backed away as the shutter clicked. The student thanked her profusely and the two were on their way.
Kalena returned to the hall, hip cocked, and watched students continue to stream in.
Post by Alexis Vanderson on Mar 31, 2021 17:23:57 GMT
Alexis hadn't seen when Ellis D. and Ida had first entered the room but she happened to glance in their direction just as the girl linked her fingers into her ex-boyfriend's and leaned closer to him in order to say something that Alexis couldn't hear. Alexis' eyes narrowed as she watched them walk further into the room. Ugh! He'd chosen to go to prom with that trailer trash friend of his? What was he thinking? He should have just asked her and they could have gone as friends.
A friend standing beside her followed her line of sight and scoffed. "Forget them, Lexi. You're so lucky you got out of that mess." Alexis turned her attention back to her friend and smiled. "I know, right!? Such losers!" she said with a laugh.
Her laugh was cut short by the appearance of her older brother. Seriously? This night had just started and it felt like it couldn't get worse. She gave Amanda a questioning look. Of course Price would be here and of course he'd rub in her face by being here because of one of her friends. He had already graduated! Couldn't he just stay out of her hair? It was HER Senior Prom and he was ruining it!
"What are you doing here?!" She demanded of her brother under her breath, her teeth clenched.
Post by Ellis D. Youngblood on Mar 31, 2021 17:30:26 GMT
Ida had turned out to clean up better than Ellis D. had expected or hoped. It shouldn't matter what people thought, but after tonight he hoped others at their school saw her differently. For some stupid reason, there was power in being beautiful. If more people saw Ida the way he did, they'd understand the force that she truly was.
He began to pull his hand away when she tried to laced her fingers with his. Why was she doing that? They were friends and the last thing he wanted was for Alexis to think that...his gaze flickered to her just as her head was turning from them, and the dread of her getting the wrong idea ebbed away. No. Let her get the wrong idea. Ellis D. was going to bask in tonight. In fact, he played it up, taking Ida's hand, laced fingers and all, and leaning in towards her, setting his lips by her ear to respond,
"I've got the hottest girl in the room at the end of my hand." He smiled easily at her, then raised his eyes to find the refreshments and would begin tugging her that way.
Post by Price Vanderson on Mar 31, 2021 17:51:53 GMT
Price could always rely on Lexi's predictability. She was like math. Add three to her and you'd always get four. If she wasn't his sister he might have found her boring and unfortunate, such a pretty face and body wasted on a simple girl, but it made being her brother easier.
"Why don't you ask Amanda?" Price's hand that had snaked around her friend's back moved down her thigh. Amanda's expression was guilty--guilty because Alexis was mad, guilty because she was blushing and melting under Price's touch. He'd touched her a whole lot more at Lexi's sleepover last weekend...
"Relax, sis. I'm gonna make sure we all have a good night." He opened one side of his jacket and exposed the top of a flask. He tossed another wink her way.
When Ellis D. pulled his fingers away, Ida’s heart rose to her throat. She felt like she was choking. Had she pushed it too far? Run away with the fantasy? Her sleeping fear of being responsible for destroying their friendship raised its ugly head. The feeling worsened when she followed Ellis D.’s gaze and saw Alexis standing there, looking the way she did - stunning as ever. However much Ida wanted to hate her, there was a natural allure there that was undeniable. A queen-like reverence that she commanded. She and Ellis D. had admittedly made a magnificent pair...and Ida was the one who pulled the rug out from underneath them. The words of her stepdad echoed in the distant recesses of her mind: fucking whore. Ida felt dizzy.
But then she felt Ellis D. lips gently brushing her ear. His deep voice, the warmth of his body next to hers. The anxious thoughts quieted. The guilt subsided. No, this was right. Ida and Ellis D. were two sides to the same coin. They understood each other in a way that nobody else could touch. They were meant to be, Alexis be damned. As they moved across the room, Alexis came into closer view. Her older brother Price was there with her. Looking sleazy, wrapping his arm around some girl, a girl he could only assume he intended to take home that night. She knew that look only too well. Luckily, Ida's less than proud moments she had spent with Price had been well and truly buried.
Ida wanted to make sure that Alexis saw them. She made eye contact and did not - would not - look away. She moved in closer to Ellis D., daring her to stop them and say something.
Wei had been strangely excited about prom night. She had been too busy to even consider asking someone to be her date, and nobody had asked her. She couldn't blame them. She was beautiful and popular as was her group of friends. And she was almost never alone in the hallways, and during class, she was very studious. But she hadn't dated much in the past either. It just never made its way onto her to-do list. Sure she'd been on dates, but boyfriends were too time-consuming for her busy life.
No, this night was about her friends. Their last prom. And Wei planned to enjoy every minute. Secretly she hoped there would be some drama tonight. She was planning to write an article about prom and was hoping for more than a "it was a fun and magical night for all" story. Her article was called "No Wei!" and boring stories did NOT fit the criteria.
After dinner, the girls arrived at prom in classic style. Wei was dressed in a red Cheongsam-inspired high-low dress. She took every opportunity to showcase her heritage. She had her hair pulled into a low bun with curls framing her face. She watched as couples and friends streamed steadily into the gym. When she saw Ellis D. walk in with Ida, she immediately looked at Alexis. Her tension was visible and not helped when Price popped up next to them. Wei rolled her eyes. Boys ruin everything, she thought. She gently tugged at Alexis' elbow. "Come on Lex, let's go dance!" she said, urging her friend to the dance floor.
Marius couldn’t believe he had let his mother talk him into this. Even though he’d been in town for two years, he still hadn’t been able to rustle up anyone to go to the prom with. He’d just been moving through life here, not forming any close connections, living in his own secure little bubble. For the most part Marius didn’t mind it. After all, there was plenty of stuff to read, of movies to watch, of things to learn. But it was times like these where he felt profoundly lonely and totally out of place.
His mother had insisted she go. Particularly as of late, Sharice felt like he’d been spending too much time at home with his father instead of out in the world where - in her opinion - he should be. She knew that she worried about him. Caring for someone with a degenerative illness - no matter how much you love them - is never pretty. It is thankless, difficult, emotionally draining work. Sharice didn’t want that for Marius. So tonight, his mother hadn’t taken no for an answer. She’d given him a hand-me-down but perfectly nice suit and pushed him out the door. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, she said. The kind of thing that memories are made of. Now that he was here, he was realizing his attire was far too casual for the occasion and that he was very much out of his element.
However many times he tried to psyche himself up, Marius just couldn’t get himself inside the door. He was loitering outside in the parking lot, trying to look like he was waiting for someone, trying not making eye contact with any of the prom-goers. Maybe if he waited until most everybody had gone inside he could just slip away. Hide out somewhere until the festivities were over. Then Marius thought of his mother. He could only imagine what she would say. Like so many of his moral lines in the sand, he refused to lie to anyone - least of all his mother. But his familiar, creeping anxiety gripped his chest and he was having a harder and harder time breathing. Marius searched the crowd, trying to find anything to help ground him. A friendly face to throw him a lifeline.