[ lauren & bastian; kayden & bryn -- making friends ]

[shades]

BECAUSE OUR CHARACTERS NEED SOME LOVE.

[Maple ♥]

{ -sings- CAAANNN  YOU FEEL, THE LOVE, TONIGHT -dramatic sigh- }

Bryn Thatcher:.

    Bryn pulled down the sleeves to her long sweatshirt, past the bandages of her still fresh cuts. Her legs were curled up into her body, her hair draped around her face in long waves. Her blue eyes scanned over the circle of people in the little room they were in; if it wasn't already dumb enough she had to come to these meetings, the room didn't help the atmosphere. Their 'counselor' was named Mrs. Jenny. She had thin glasses and a nose that always sounded pinched and naisily when she talked. Bryn found herself rolling her eyes at the scene, letting her head fall back so she could stare up at the ceiling with sigh. This was bullshit. She didn't need help. Who had helped her in time after her parents death? No one. It was a little too late to 'help' someone like her. 

Lauren Skyes:.

    Lauren's body was pressed against the wall outside of her old high school where the Cutters United counseling meeting was going on. She'd dropped off Bastian about half an hour ago and now was just standing there, letting the wind tickle her face as she watched cars go by. It was a saturday, no one was really around. She had a dull pit in her stomach, bored, and annoyed. Drew had kept her up all night while Bastian slept; she'd began to sort of coddle him now that he was recovering from his injuries. It hadn't been her who told Mr. Skyes about Bastian's cutting problems; he'd found out who knows how and forced her husband to attend this meeting. 

    Her light azure gaze traveled over the parking lot again, slipping a pack of cigarettes from her purse and slipping one out. No, she hadn't told Bastian about this nervous/bored habit of her hers and no, she wasn't planning on telling him. Plus no on important was around to see so she didn't really care, it helped calm her nerves. A lighter flicked on and the flame lit the end of the smoke, inhaling it deeply with hollowed cheeks. It was blown out into the air again as she leaned her head back into the brick behind her. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

Bastian sat in the room, looking around at the others; only one or two might recognize him—Bastian Skyes had once been top of popularity of school. Some people he didn’t think could be cutters or depressed, or whatever the hell they had to be to slice a blade across their skin. Whatever, he barely listened; his pair of glasses perched on his nose, hair ruffled, his legs and arms crossed as he waited impatiently to for Bloodied, Bandaged, and Bonding to be over. Okay, it was called ‘Cutters United’ but his was much more creative.

“Bastian, care to tell us your problems?” He knew the sickenly sweet voice of the counselor-lady, making Bastian lean forward and fiddle with the ring his grandpa once wore and Lauren shared the other half to it, and his heart. Not like most people knew they were married, or cared, or really wanted to know how their child was doing. In fact, most assumed Lauren moved and Bastian killed himself in depression or whatever. The hell with them.

He looked at her curiously, “not really, my life is quite frankly a mess, cutting isn’t the least of my hospital visits.” Amnesia. Being shot. Having to help his wife through a few hospital visits in case she did receive a STD through Andrew (standard procedure). Drew. Marriage. Life. School. Parents rekindling their relationship. Seeing the world with Lauren. Job. “Yeah no, I’d much rather explain my sex life than that.”

Only one person seemed to know Bastian’s sex life (or rumors, like older sibling he fucked once thing maybe) and looked at him with contempt and a light grimace. Ten points to that kid.

[ᴄᴀʟʟᴀ .]

Kayden I-always-fucking-forget-his-last-name

The brick step was pressed against Kayden's ass as he waited outside the door of Bryn's meeting. Even though they weren't on the best of terms, he still wanted to be right outside the door when Bryn came walking out of the meeting. Her had tried to go inside with her, but to her protest, he ended up outside by himself. Or so he thought. 

It was chilly and the brick step was starting to make his butt bones hurt like hell. Nothing about this would be considered fun but in was in the best interest of someone he cared about. His eyes weren't focusing on what was around him. Just the bright screen of his phone flashing in front of his eyes. The beeping sounds of a random game he had been playing for the past what seemed like forever echoed around him - interrupting only when his phone buzzed with a text message. He would stop, reply, and go right back to pounding his thumbs into the screen just to lose and start all over again. Just mundane activities to make the time go by faster. Sure, he would have random thoughts of what was going on behind the door. If it would help or if it was just a big orgy going on back there, but other than that Kayden was trying to keep his mind completely blank. Void of anything to worry about.

The smell of cigarettes bounced in his nostrils, causing him to lose focus of his phone entirely. Who the hell would smoke at a school? Granted, it wasn't operating as one right now. Still, the idea was strange. His blue eyes shifted upwards and searched for the culprit. Finally landing on the blonde female standing against a wall with the white cylinder in her fingers. 

[Maple ♥]

Bryn Thatcher:.

    Bryn was the only person to laugh at Bastian, smiling for what felt like the first time in weeks. Her blue eyes danced over his exterior; brown hair, green eyes, glasses, cute. But not her type. He was funny though, she'd give him that. The gratefulness of having someone who saw past this bullshit too showed in her dimples as the counselors attention turned to her. 

    The smile faded almost instantly. "Well that's...highly inappropriate Bastian," the woman cleared her throat but Bryn saw past her wall; her panties were probably sweating up a storm at the thought of that guy...Bastian having sex. It made Bryn a little curious too, but the instant she thought of sex, she thought of Kayden and that was just not the road her mind needed to go down. Plus, Pinch Nose was addressing her now. "How about you, Bryn? What brings you here to our group?"

    Bryn wanted to snort at her question; really bitch? Why the fuck did you think she was here? To learn about ponies in the high school she hated?

    Let's just say Bryn's attitude had changed greatly in the past few weeks. She didn't do anything but roll her eyes and say, "Cause I'm being forced to by my school counselor," quietly. 

    Her soft eyes went back to Bastian where she smiled subtly, though it wasn't how he probably received the invitation. She couldn't be a flirt anyways; her mind was either on guilt or Kayden. So mostly on guilt cause like hell she was going to think of Kayden after what happened. 

    But she did miss him. 

Lauren Skyes:.

    Lauren's soft lips pursed around the cigarette in her hands and blew it out of her nose instead of her mouth. Yeah, she'd taught herself that trick. Like a boss. 

    She was just scanning over the parking lot when she thought she heard the beeping of a video game. Continuing her searching, she found her destination which was an attractive guy with his head dipped while he played on his phone. Squinting her eyes, she took another inhale of smoke before beginning to strut towards him in her clippy heels. 

    "You here for your boyfriend too?" she joked, her eyes flashing as she took a seat next to him on the brick and took another drag of smoke. he wasn't her type; her only type was her husband. But she was fucking bored and wanted something to do besides standing by herself in a place she hated more than anything. Okay, maybe Andrew made the top of her hate list. But that was a different story. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

Bastian looked over at Bryn, disinterested, like the other girls who looked at him nowadays. However, there was a small and sly smile on his features as he winked at her. Leaning forwards, “I really don’t think any of our problems are none of your damn business.” He stated coldly, letting the counselor sink in his words as he pulled back.

“Bastian really—”

“You can’t give me detention, I don’t go here anymore.” Bastian shrugged, rebellious against counselors. Ever since he and Lauren blew off his first cutting sessions where she was his peer-whatever and they ended up making out in the office. “I have someone to talk too, I just don’t remember her…fully…Amnesia is a bitch.” He had been regaining bits and pieces of his feelings for Lauren, Bastian would have his days where he would question what happened and she would answer, he might be distant, but the love was still there.

Kinda.

He was 99% sure.

[Maple ♥]

Bryn Thatcher:.

    Bryn did snort this time, trying to conceal her laughter. This guy was hilarious. He spoke the words in her mind she was too scared to say out loud. 

    The counselor just gave up talking to Bastian, in a huff, though Bryn saw past her cover. She was probably a lonely single woman who lived at home with her cats. This was probably the most male attention she got between every session. And Bastian was a looker, so her thighs were most likely sweating up a storm.

    But damn him because her attention came back to Bryn. "Bryn, you were recently in the hospital," It's like the bitch knew she wouldn't fight back like Bastian, "Maybe you'd like to talk about that experience?"

    Bryn bit her bottom lip, staring at the ground. When she thought of the hospital, she thought of the incident. Kayden's face. His hands, covered in her blood. Begging her to stay alive. And she'd been selfish the entire because she'd wanted to even though he pleaded. All she'd thought of while he held her and tried to help her was that she wished he hadn't been there to see her die. 

    She wasn't going to tell anyone this, though. If she told anyone, it would be Kayden. But that would be by a long shot. "No," Bryn answered finally, shaking her head and resting her chin on her knees. 

    The counselor just sighed, shuffling some paper. "Alright, then."

    Now Bryn was just staring at the ground, reliving those moments so close to her death. She still didn't know if it had been a good or bad thing that she survived. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

Another eye roll, his emerald eyes quite frankly showing off his annoyance. And his posture. And the way he kept talking back to the counselor; let’s not forget how heavily sarcastic he is. Bastian is a bastard after all. “It’s like every hospital visit, white walls, they tell you you’re insane, and maybe a hug jacket.”

He looked around at the other people, wondering how insane they were to even come to this meeting. In fact, he was going to force Lauren to strictly take him somewhere else for this. Or maybe they can do something in the closet.

If you know what he means.

His converse tapped on the ground, looking over at some girl wanna-be and wanna-him and he wasn’t interested. Her make-up was thick and he just gave her a face that strictly said ‘taken’. Then again, that didn’t stop women.

He learned that the hard way.

[ᴄᴀʟʟᴀ .]

"Yeah" Kayden scoffed, finishing off a round of his game before he was able to pick his head up fully. His eyes scanned over her for a moment before returning to the harsh screen of his phone. She was pretty, he had to admit. But nothing like the girls in his school - and she could never compare to Bryn in his mind. She looked like she had knowledge, intelligence. Experience. It's in the way a woman carries herself, speaks. Words flow out of their mouths differently than others. Life had given them a hard ball and they took it with open arms. 

Sure, he didn't know this female. This was just a random talk between strangers both bored as they waited for someone important in their lives. Someone that needed help to deal with their problems. Nothing wrong with that. But he couldn't help but uphold a certain level respect. Something to keep him from replying like the asshole he wanted to be. The asshole that derived from his lack of sleep. Bags under his eyes and lack of care in his appearance. 

It was fleeting as the smoke rammed into his face. 

"How long do these things usually last?" He asked, shifting his butt against the brick and finishing off a text. He didn't want to sound pissed or like he was rushing things, so he was careful with his tone. When he was done with his phone, he held the little metal box in one hand - elbows resting on his knees. He couldn't help but throw a glance in her direction, studying the smoke, before drifting off to the rest of the school building, parking lot, etc.

[Maple ♥]

Lauren Skyes;

    Lauren blew out another plume through her nose and licked her lips. "Like, twenty more minutes I think." Her eyes traveled over his messy appearance, which reminded her so much of how she'd been after Bastian had his first incident. She elbows the guy, not roughly, but in a friendly way. "I know that look. How long ago did your 'troubled' friend have an incident," she watched him, throwing her cigarette on the ground and stomping it out with her foot. She was going to leave it there because well fuck school. 

    Bryn Thatcher;

    Bryn stared down the clock, begging for their session to be over so she didn't have to come back for another week. if she'd known about the counseling maybe she could've killed herself faster. But her therapist said that was fowned upon to want to die. She didn't really know if she wanted to or not. But now she just felt guilty and ... different. Maybe dying would've been better all around. 

    And she wouldn't have to come to these damn meetings. 

    "Now, we're going to spice things up today," the counselor shuffled some papers, eying everyone. "I think it might be best for us to split up into groups and chat intimately about our problems," she pressed her hands together. Bryn's eyes flashed around the room - this was worse than gym class when she always got picked last. Her eyes landed on Bastian. Maybe he'd make a good, funny partner. But being the shy dweb she was, Bryn just kept herself in a ball as everyone dispersed to find partners of their own.

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

He barely looked over as someone who had been eyeing him finally made her way over, “hey there cutie.” She purred, but he walked past; by that he ducked out of the chair into one next to the quiet, shy, girl who refused to say more than one word. It was better than flirts, the counselor herself, or being alone. Moving the chair so he was facing off with her (damn thankful of being over six foot to look over her balled up figure) and giving the girl a small smile.

“Do you mind?” The college-aged student asked, looking over as the girl from before and her partner set up shop close to them; glaring at Bryn. “Yeah no.” Bastian leaned over, pushing the girl and her chair away; with a quiet shoo of his hand.

With another bitchy glare, she and her partner gave them some space.

Hah, Bastian could be a bastard sometimes.

After a bit of silence as low murmurs of people talking echoed around, Bastian finally cleared his throat. “I’m Bastian, I used to go here.” His green eyes kept moving towards the clock impatiently, but it was like every kid in this session would do. His fingers danced over the metal ring in a new nervous habit, the cool metal sliding up and down and spinning as he toyed with it subconsciously.

[Maple ♥]

        Bryn's eyes watched him the entire time he made his way over to her, and lit up with humor at the desperate girl. "Well aren't you just the ladies man," she smirked slightly, letting her knees down from her ball shape and sticking out a pale, half covered in sweat shirt, hand to him. "I'm Bryn. It's nice to meet you."

        Maybe this session wouldn't be too bad if she actually had a partner who wouldn't burst into tears when she tried talking even the slightly bit. Yes, that had happened last week. And yes, Bryn had gotten up and left ten minutes before class ended, not going to deal with that shit. Her wide blue eyes traveled over his appearance; shaggy brown hair, glasses, snarky smile, ring. Wait. Ring? Her gaze flashed back to it, one that he was playing on his finger. So this was the famous Bastian. Who raped a girl or some how she got pregnant and he married her for her money? Bryn didn't know the exact story but it'd been all the drama last year. "So you're Bastian Skyes?" she asked, leaning back in her chair before sweeping away some of her strands of black hair from falling in her face. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

Bastian smiled lightly, leaning back in his own chair, “yup. So tell me, what amazing rumors had you heard about me?” He had to indulge, he had no idea about half his wife’s personal life anymore or even her favorite food (except the times he was filled in, remembered, and that was a lot itself); however, he had never heard about his popularity downcast after being with Lauren. In his mind, the one without Lauren, he became top dog or something like that shit and was amazingly popular; then thrown down for being a bastard. Not that he cared then or now, it would be nice to know what all went down in actuality.

His eyebrow rose in a silent question, rubbing his bit of scruff (because damn Lauren for being 'no razors'; he secretly thought she liked his scruff) on his face with his hand in a gesture of impatience.

[Maple ♥]

Bryn Thatcher;

    Bryn smirked and started to absent-mindedly braid her hair. "You either raped or drugged Lauren Moscow, then she got pregnant, went a little crazy, you proposed to make her go a little less nutty," these were terms she'd actually heard from people. She hoped Bastian didn't think she believed them. "And some how she lost the kid, one of you married the other for money and then you tried committing suicide," she pointed to his arms, but didn't dwell there too long. She hated when other stared at her arms, so she wouldn't put him through that too. "How much of that is actually true?" curiosity got the best of her and she raised an eyebrow at him in question. 

[shades]

Bastian Skyes ; ;

There was a moment, Bastian looking solemn; before he burst into howling laughter which caused a few people to look his way. Bastian didn’t care. “Seriously?” He asked, wiping a fake tear away. After a minute of trying to regain control, he just smirked.

“First of all, Lauren Moscow had been dating for a year when we conceived Drew; we were drunk and forgot protection.” Bastian was blunt, he didn’t care. “She didn’t go crazy, we broke up before we even knew about pregnancy and when we finally re-kindled a bit of our relationship she told me.” He didn’t mention the cutting during the whole break-up, it wasn’t known knowledge. “Hmh, her family disowned her so I let her live at my house, my father supporting us, I proposed because I wanted too and the moment was right.” Bastian had to furrow his brows. He had that much information, “the wedding, well, I can’t remember much it was sort of gate crashed by her brother and I woke up in the hospital not able to remember Lauren and Drew. Oh and Drew is our daughter, she lives with us and all that good shit. Suicide, well, I tried once when in high school,” he didn’t doubt Bryn knew of the incident. “Then this time wasn’t even suicide, I was having a rough time coping with amnesia and my mind set reverted to the past.” Bastian let out a sigh, looking down at his fingers again.

When he looked up, Bastian threw his head over his shoulder, “Counselor-lady, talking about feelings really does help.” He approved with a cocky smirk; before looking back at Bryn.

“Questions? Comments? Concerns? Yes I am sexually active with my wife. No I am not abusing my daughter. Yes I have a job and am not abusing my parents power. Yes I am trying to take college online. No I am not suicidal at the moment. And yes, I did have sex with men.”