; cruel summer

[colton abernathy]

COLTON

Mirren is the only balm Colton will accept in this scenario, Ruby's attempts at diffusion falling on deaf ears. Mira had always had an innate ability to say or do the right thing at the right time, and by playing on his practicality, she's managed to diffuse the situation much more effectively than Ruby had. Placing the unlit cigarette in his mouth, Colton takes the stick from her, holding the marshmallow over the fire with a perceived level of precision. "Coming right up," he grins at her, speaking around the cigarette. Still, it can't last. Everett's comment about trade school hits Colton entirely wrong, a cat stroked the wrong way-- he makes no attempt to hide his displeasure at it, scrunching his nose up, recoiling, eventually giving Ruby a very direct look, as if the snobby comment had come from her own glossed lips. Ignoring Everett, he addresses his response directly to her. "Really?"  Still grossed out, he leans down and lights his cigarette from the fire pit, confident that this move makes him look very cool. He straightens up in time for Sasha to emerge, a figure he's more receptive to than usual, glad for a distraction. In an entirely unsurprising move she hovers near him, asking for a cigarette. He takes the lit one from his mouth and hands it to her wordlessly, passing Mirren back her perfectly toasted marshmallow to free up his hands to fish out another. This time he leans in to the lit end of the smoke hanging from Sasha's mouth, eyes on hers as he inhales, lighting his from hers. Their eyes lock and there's a frisson of acknowledgement, he thinks: they both want to piss Ruby off. "There's a joint in there," he says finally, passing the Marlboro box to Mirren, remembering her earlier request.

[mirren hewitt]

MIRREN

"Ok, you fully set yourself up for that - why do you own that? " Mirren's noise wrinkles at the simple zip-up, half expecting Everett's eyes to widen in an imitation of the Mr. Robot character she often jested he took after. It's why she's surprised he's acting this way to Colton, some strange dick measuring contest she'd prefer not to be apart of because at the end of the day this was their house. She was already tiptoeing around Colt as it was with her boyfriend, grateful for these few moments he seemed to have his guard down around her. And now Sasha, apparently, watching their shared cigarette lights with mild disgust. Until he relents and mentions the joint, picking through the box immediately. If she knew this would be the kickoff to Everett's weekend she'd have smoked before, already feeling her anxiety lessen as she also held it to the flames to ignite. "Thank youu," Mirren sing-songs to Colt, taking a drag before attempting to assemble her dessert with one hand. It's sloppy but still a masterpiece in her eyes once complete, leaning back to take a satisfying bite as another drag drifts into the air, mingling with the overpowering sweetness of Sasha's perfumee. "Everett, what's your fire fact of the day?"

[ruby anderson]

SASHA

It seemed Sasha pick the best time to join the group. Whatever conversation they were having before she'd interrupted was certainly filled with tension. The smoke from the fire wasn't the only thing that hung heavy in the air. She looks at everyone around the fire, trying to imagine what the stupid three musketeers and Ruby's wannabe boyfriend could possibly be arguing about. Colton hands Sasha the cigarette that was in between his teeth, and her insides melt. Knowing how much this aggravated Ruby, Sasha loved the thrill it brought to her, especially enjoying the concept that it came from his gorgeous looking mouth. "Aw are you worried about me, Ruby?" Sasha sarcastically questions the blonde girl. She chuckles as she hears an scoff. Ruby had the best seat in the house, for what ideas Sasha had brewing inside her mind for this evening. Her hand touches her heart, as she really brings the dramatics. Taking a lesson from the drama queen herself. "I think I'm going to be fine," she ends that discussion with a drag from the cigarette. Colton's next move surprises her. He leans in to the lit cigarette in her mouth, allowing his to catch fire on the bud in between her lips. Their eyes meet and it's then that she knows they have the same purpose. Getting so under Ruby's skin. He inhales and his little trick is successful, pulling the one out of her mouth and complimenting him. She lowers her voice as she leans into his ear. "That was hot, and such a good party move."

RUBY

Sasha has attached herself to Colton. He's clearly playing along, disregarding everything she warned him about in confidence. Another eye roll is tossed in Sasha's direction, her comment wasn't of concern or from the heart whatsover. "Nope. I truly don't care what you do. Just wanted to point out the obvious is all." She snaps back, focusing on the burnt marshmallow in her hands. Everett taps on her leg and she welcomes the distraction. He offers her his perfectly cooked one, stating he preferred the burnt pieces. There he was, Mr. Thoughtful again. She'd wondered where he went, curious as to what was occurring between him and Colton. She'd never seen that side of him. They switch pokers and a hum coming from her lips as she takes a bite of the delicious summer treat. Nodding her head, Ruby pockets the idea of his fire trick for later. She's mid-second-bite when Colton lights his new cigarette to the one in Sasha's mouth. Her eyes slotting down even further into a hard glare, the one she'd give him before nothing in compared to this one. What was he doing? He'd promised, she thought to herself as he keeps the close proximity to Sasha. The warm s'more is pressed up against her leg as she watches Sasha whisper into his ear, the need to take a long sip from her high noon follows. Why did it really matter to Ruby though? Everett came here to be with her, finally taking her on his promised date. The last bit of her drink falls into her mouth with her long sip, she'd need another and a few more to get through this turned-painful evening. Mirren was always the best at changing the subject and lightening the mood, Ruby's not surprised when she puts the conversation back to Everett. taps his thigh, grinning and daring him just like her friend. "Come on, let's hear it. We know you have one."

[everett howe]

“Well you know, I live to amuse you,” Everett relented, playfully narrowing his eyes at her. They had forged a strange but pleasant camaraderie over the last few months, accidentally omitted from Ruby until now. Their few commonalities—scientist parents, being only children. Melissa and Matt—had blossomed into something that resembled annoying siblinghood (not that they would know what that was like). “Don’t let me get too close to the fire, my internal hardware is very sensitive to heat,” he said before taking a long draw of his drink, pleased by the calm spreading through his system now that Colton’s attention had strayed away from him. Everett could only guess that the boy wasn’t accustomed to sharing space or attention over his apparent harem. The sweet, skunky smell of weed hit his nose, almost nervous about it until he remembered it was legal in this state…albeit not for their age, still. Another law broken in front of him! Trying to keep track of the many conversations going, while Sasha and Colt seemed a counterpoint on the opposite side of the fire together, Everett was surprised to have Ruby and Mirren goading him. “What am I, a pyromaniac?” he laughed into his smore, crumbs flying. The drink was becoming curiously lighter in his palm, racking his brain for information though he was trying to turn off that part for their sake. “I’ll give you a magic show later. I just need a few household items,” he explained, not his first time doing so—and not exactly beating the pyro allegations. But he was still a boy and fires were in fact fun. “How about you tell me your knowledge on exothermic reactions,” he smirked, kicking some sand at Mirren’s feet. Leaning again Ruby’s way, he nudged her gently. “Hey. Are you ok?” he asked quietly, hand ghosting over hers in reassurance.

[mirren hewitt]

MIRREN

"Not my circus, not my monkey," Mirren defers, motioning to Ruby as his defacto guardian. After the breakup with Melissa, Mirren truthfully never thought she'd see or hear of Everett again. To not only have him as her chemistry TA, but someone who'd become like a weird older brother (she guessed that made Colt the cool one...or the frat one), and now her best friend's...well, she didn't really know that answer either. Ruby barely divulged details when she had her mind set on something. She just acted, and everyone reacted. It's how they ended up in situations like this. Watching Colt's jaw tick in annoyance, only to realize Sasha was staring at him, too. There was always something calculating in her eyes, a warning Ruby had fired and Mirren had noticed the second she started trying to hang out one-on-one. It never seemed to come from an authentic place, and Mirren typically felt like she was a decent read on people. It's why she knows Everett's jokes will always be harmless and more intended for her, rolling her eyes as she lolled her head back, drink balanced precariously against her chin. "A magic show? Rule number two, no tricks that may lead to the house setting on fire." It feels weird to talk back and forth between them, watching Colt's can crunch a little in his hands before stuffing the rest of her s'mores in her mouth and untangling her legs from the chair. "Up," she tells Colt, offering her free, un-sticky hand. "Let's go stick our feet in the ocean for a sec."

[colton abernathy]

COLTON

Finally taking a seat opposite the bulk of the group, Colton sat back and silently smoked, an expression of mild displeasure on his face as he watched them have what he decided was the worst, most cringey conversation of all time. It was not like him to feel possessive over his role in their little trio, but then actually, maybe it was, since he also hated when Matt was around, too. He's watching Everett sat in the middle between them, which itself was an offensive choice, and Sasha is watching him watch them, the dynamics at play totally obvious to anyone who wasn't a slightly high, slightly drunk borderline teenager. "Stop staring at me," he says to Sasha, out of earshot of the others but without looking in her direction. He's ignored her comment though he sneaks a look at her in his peripheral vision. Cascading dark hair, face lit by the fire, a smattering of freckles across her cheeks that seemed to expand every day. He'd been paying her little attention so far this summer, but he did have to admit that she was a knockout. As though she could hear his thoughts, Mirren intervenes just in time. As was the way when Mira asked anything of him Colt did as requested on instinct, stubbing the last of his cigarette out and getting up to follow her down the short path to the beach. "What the fuck was that about?" He says as soon as they are out of earshot, or maybe not even that far since he wasn't exactly opting for tact today. He gestures back towards where they've come from, shaking his head. "What a fucking loser. Seriously, what is Ruby thinking, that guy sucks."

[ruby anderson]

SASHA

This time Colton doesn’t acknowledge her comment. Instead he joins the group in the beach chairs, a heavy pout on his face. It might be more of a glare but Sasha’s been observant these last few weeks especially the interactions between Ruby and Colton. The way he looked at her during dinners, Ruby getting so defensive about him even speaking to her. Just like she said in a text to Ruby, they were so obvious just not to the others or clearly themselves..yet. Disappointment strikes when he still doesn’t look her way, having felt like they had a moment when he sexily lit that cigarette against hers. The chair closest to him was open, so she takes it. Her eyes are unable to look anywhere but him, as she finishes the last of the cigarette. Colt speaks only to her and it’s the opposite of what she wants - his request for her to stop staring. She’d felt an understanding between the two of them, but maybe it was her own wishful thinking. A scowl lines her mouth, as she’s playing with the ends of her hair. Sasha steals a few glances at Ruby who’s speaking with Mirren and Everett. Somehow the latter of the two were familiar? Mirren was the level headed one out of the three of them, and here she was trying to diffuse the situation. Dragging Colton away from the fire and further down the beach, as Sasha shakes her head. A s’more sounded so good right now as she looks to the makings laid out in an assembly line. But there was her diet, and her strict schedule. “So. Everett what do you think of the Hamptons so far?” She breaks the ‘couple’ away from their own conversation.

RUBY

Ruby’s blue eyes pierce the bright flame in front of them. She’s given up trying to give Colton a dirty look for his behavior earlier. His eyes refuse to meet hers besides a few times, and a rude comment thrown in her direction. She wonders what he was thinking, he’d never been this hostile towards Matt. But then again… things were a little different between them. If she gave any sort of reaction, she’d give their little secret away. Or would these actions of him reveal it all? She pushes those thoughts away, as quickly as they came to her. Finishing the last of her s’more, Ruby listens to the banter between Mirren and Everett. She wipes her palms on her legs, letting them take the brunt of the stickiness. Oddly it calms her the two of them conversing, gives her time to process why her stomach felt like it was in a constant twist this evening. Ruby laughs when Mirren talks about rule number two, it was true, they didn’t want anything that could end in the destruction of their most favorite place on earth. “Good point, think of something else you can do.” The fingers of her left hand fiddle with a string that’s come loose from her black cotton shorts. Ruby tugs at the annoying string, finally freeing it from the pants, discarding it in her pocket to properly throw away later. It was a good nervous tick that no one had to witness. She’d wanted Everett here, she liked him a lot but what was happening? Colton’s interaction with Sasha, his words with Everett and their unspoken nights lingering in her head. Guilt suddenly weighing her down. All of her well kept secrets spinning around in her mind. But Everett’s hand hovers over her, halting her thinking and she gives him a small smile. “I’m good, yeah.” She squeezes his hand, reassuring, and watching as Mirren pulls Colt from his chair and closer to the water, clearly for a chat. With him away suddenly she can breathe again. “I’m sorry about him,” Ruby mumbles, leaning in closer to Everett. “I really don’t know what that was about.” Who was she lying to here? Everett or herself? She waves it off though, still keeping her hand interwined with his. Ruby catches Sasha’s eyes on them, and her beloved enemy begins to strike up conversation. “I’m going to go bring down a few more drinks for everyone. You okay down here by yourself?” She looks to Everett, making sure he felt comfortable. Even if she was desperate for a second alone.

[everett howe]

“There are suddenly a lot of very specific rules,” he noted suspiciously despite the lack of obvious adult supervision. If anything, he had become the chaperone to the group, everyone very obviously younger than him, reminding him of yet another thing about which to be self-conscious. But he enjoyed his good-natured ribbing with Mirren, trying to relax and give himself to the group dynamics despite the rocky start, comforted by the two girls. The fire and the yard were encouraging him to dig his heels into the idea of a chill weekend—or what version of chill he could manage, at least, with medication and a single drink roaring through his virgin system. Colton and Mirren stumble down the beach path, leaving the three of them to be whittled down. Then Ruby decided to run another drink errand. “I’ll be fine,” he assures with a nod, watching the blonde retreat up to the house. There goes both of his safeties. He still wasn’t sure about Colton, but Ruby was certainly acting strange and high-strung, surprising him as much as Mirren’s tactical distractions. Letting the hood of his jacket fall to his shoulders, Everett realized he was now left alone with Sasha. “Uh, I like it, it’s nice,” he replied banally, trying to forget everything he knew about the girl now that he was staring her in the face. All the secondhand knowledge and gossip from Ruby, swearing the girl was out to get her. “You’re a ballet dancer, right?” he asked stupidly, his can suddenly whispering dry. “How’s that going?”

[mirren hewitt]

MIRREN

If Mirren had been holding Colt's arm he'd have likely ripped away from her grasp, all but stomping down the grass in that ill-tempered way of his. She was used to him being quieter, or a little broody, sometimes so smart with his mouth she wasn't sure whether to be offended or laugh until her sides hurt. But the hot headed tempers still felt so fresh, as if Ruby and Colt had exploded one day, burst into flames, and she'd been left to smolder in their ashes for reasons she still didn't understand. "I don't know," Mirren finally murmurs, hands folded anxiously in he hoodie pocket as she tested the frozen waters on her feet. Had she had high expectations for this all going well? No, not really. But her heart did reach out for Ruby a little bit in the process, the turmoil of Sasha throwing a wrench in seemingly everything good in her life, too. "Sasha also keeps batting her little 'fuck me' eyes at you, it's awkward." Maybe that's the best word for this all. Awkward. Everrett's typical, chosen personality trait and the combination of personalities that congregated around the fire. Mirren remembers she's holding the joint suddenly, forcing another drag as she wonders who they'd all vote out of the circle, Survivor style, if they could. Judging by Colt's expression she knew his answer, daring to reach out and rest her hand on his bicep. "Look, we both know Ruby does what Ruby wants these days. I know you don't want to hear it but he's not like...a bad guy. He could be a total douche, frat boy." Her eyes tip pointedly at him. "We can survive a weekend and it's back to regular programming."

[colton abernathy]

COLTON

Though he's barely said anything to her, Sasha seems put out. Colton did not understand women. The last year or so had been a revelation to him, learning that sometimes the middle aged women whose garden fences he was painting, or dishwashers he was fixing, were flirting not just as some means of toying with him but with serious intent, forced to be direct in their intentions in the face of his indifference. He had learnt that women also said one thing and meant another, and most of the time that thing was "I'm fine" when they most certainly were not. He'd learnt that one from Ruby. He had also learnt a host of other things, useful skills and little tricks, but more than anything, he'd learnt that he had a lot more to learn. As always, Mira seems ten steps ahead of him. The beach has an immediate calming effect, forcing him to take a breath. "Does she?" he says in response to the comment about Sasha, though as soon as it's said something clicks in the back of his brain. He craves another cigarette. There's a boat out on the horizon and he fixes his eyes on it, a smudge moving across a deep blue line. Mira's right about Everett, of course, but he isn't in any mood to acknowledge it. He doesn't understand why he's so bothered, all sorts of different thoughts and feelings clashing into each other. "I think it's creepy that a PHD student would search out an undergrad. Did no one his own age want him?" He hears himself and scoffs. "Don't answer that, obviously not."

[ruby anderson]

SASHA

Sasha lifts up her drink when Ruby stands, stating she’s heading back up to the house for refills. The liquid jiggling in the can gives an almost empty sound. The two girls lock eyes and Ruby stares, while Sasha’s lips curl. “Another for me too, please,” she responds, as if her actions weren’t already clear enough. The blonde’s eyebrows furrow and blue eyes send Sasha a sharp frown before she’s suddenly heading back up to the Dunmere house. Of course Ruby must have spoken to Everett about her. Most likely telling all sorts of dramatic stories about her and giving him clear warnings. “Yeah, I love it. Mel has been the best role model I could’ve ever asked for,” she murmurs appreciatively. Sasha leans forward onto her knee caps, looking at Everett through the flames of the fire. Her words would be repeated to Ruby she’s sure of it. “Are you in school too, then? Is that how you met Ruby?” She hadn’t been present for introductions. Studying him as he speaks, she can see some of Ruby’s appeal - he was cute, though nerdy.

RUBY

She gives Everett’s hand one more squeeze before she walks back up to the house. Giving a blank stare to Sasha as she puts on a show while asking for another drink. It turned into more of glare once she finally spoke with actual words. “I’ll be right back,” she promises, tramping back to the house and away from the most awkward of conversations. Desperate to breathe some air and to recover from the weird thoughts bouncing around in her head. When she reaches the top of the stairs, she looks out to Colt and Mirren who were conversing and still standing closely to the frigid waters. What were they talking about? Her? Everett’s slip up of a sensitive topic for them? Ruby shakes her head as if that would help those thoughts for lodging tightly in her throat. It’s not the refrigerator that she visits first. Instead she tiptoes around to the front of the house, the touch of darkness in the sky helping her need to be unseen. Ruby drops onto the couch that is perched on their front porch every season. Why was she so irrationally upset by Colton's reaction? Reaching for a pillow that’s tucked behind and shouting into the material, she screams out all the emotions into its softness. A very muffled one so she doesn’t give her location away, or draw attention to a very theatrical action. In just a few seconds she’s done and heading back through the sliding door. Feeling refreshed, and grabbing handfuls of drinks so no one has to make another trip for a bit. They’re shoved into a reusable bag she’d retrieved from the pantry. This time she would be ready to rebuttal any of Colt or Sasha’s comments. Sand flies behind each of her steps back to the group and approaches the fire, delivering a smile to Everett who’s looking her way as she returns.

[everett howe]

Between the meds and the 5% ABV, Everett’s normalcy gauge was beginning to malfunction. In academic social settings he was fine, but dropped into something like this, with people younger than him and harder to relate to? He really did feel like a very obvious robot blending in amongst humans. He scrambled to think of regular things to talk about: weather, sports, current events. Even searching around his immediate field of vision, at the fire and backyard and distant churn of the beach. “Oh, yeah, Ruby’s mom seems great,” he comments, as if reminding Sasha of her lack of familial relation although simultaneously trying to keep all of Ruby’s prior comments about her off his tongue. Ruby felt very strongly about Sasha’s presence, but Everett was being successfully fooled by her so far. Then again he didn’t have the best read on people; she seemed relatively normal, if not a little attached to Colton which he certainly did not understand. Nodding to her question, Everett was curious about trying a different answer this time—let her assume what she wanted. “I go to NYU,” he confirmed after finishing the last of his smore, running out of things to do with his hands. “So do you like, live with the Andersons full time? Where’s your family?” Well, that came out worse than intended... Fortunately Ruby arrived just in time, Everett gratefully accepting a second can from the bag she’d towed with her. “Hey thanks,” he beamed at the blonde, “you’re the best.” She looked slightly less peeved but still in need of a distraction from playing hostess. "Do you want to walk to the beach soon?"

[mirren hewitt]

MIRREN

"Does she?" Colt's tone is so oblivious Mirren rolls her eyes, kicking at the soft sand below her feet. She still felt like she was on the verge of adulthood, the outsider looking in, but at this point even she knew how everything just went over men's head. Even Matt took everything at face value, basically having to train him over the years to understand what she wanted as if he was an energetic puppy. She cuts her gaze over to Colt's widened eyes, clocking the similar look of confusion before, alarmingly, watching recognition pass over them too. "Don't get any ideas, she's been trying to woo me too," she warns, understanding Sasha's game long before she even played it. Maybe it helped that she'd had to navigate Ruby's whims this year too, getting better at playing her own games as her friend lashed another insult. "Search her out? He's not like...a predator, jeez." Mirren's surprised with how frustrated she feels suddenly, hands bunching into fists against her hips as she spins back to face him. "Colt. What is your problem? Seriously? You're being a dick to Everett, you're trying to ban my boyfriend from the premises. I hate change more than both of you combined but it's not fair of you to fuck with our lives in the essence of like...I don't know, keeping us to yourself." In all honestly she has no idea why he's turned into such an asshole but she doesn't like it, not backing down even as her hands quietly retreated back to her pockets in anxiousness. "Even Ruby's been nicer lately, especially right now around him. Recognize that." Mirren goes to double down but she senses movement by the fire pit, eyes watching the pair head their direction. "They're coming down here. Either be nice, or go stuff your face with a s'more."

[colton abernathy]

COLTON

The warning falls on deaf ears. Colton is turning the new information over and over in his head, remembering other times Sasha had brushed against him, or said something suggestive when there were no grown ups to overhear. It's all clicking into place and whilst he of course understands that there's a rivalry at the heart of her motivations, the fact that a pretty girl would sleep with him is still the fact that stands out to him, his mind wandering to her figure in a bikini, her lips pouting and glossed. She was not his usual type but frustrated with both Ruby and Mirren and their respective boyfriends, he couldn't deny that this realization came with some appeal. "Do you think she wants to fuck you too?" Colton is surprised by the outburst, his mouth falling open slightly as his usually laissez faire friend lays into him. He stays stood silently for a few seconds after she's finished, processing what she's said, letting his own irritation bubble up. "I never tried to ban him, shut the fuck up Mira. God, you're so fucking self obsessed, you and Ruby both think the sun shines out of your asses," he can't help everything spilling out of him, his temper rising as he goes on. "You think I fucking care that much about him? I don't care if he lives or dies, Mira, bring him wherever you want. He's so forgettable it's like he's not even there, anyway." He sees them coming and he wishes they weren't. "I don't want to keep you both to myself. You're invading my life, not the other way round. You're fucking tourists. So with all due respect Mirren, fuck off with your bullshit." With that he storms back towards the house, passing Ruby and Everett without a backwards glance.

[ruby anderson]

RUBY

It's obvious as she steps closer to the fire pit that Sasha and Everett were making some sort of small talk while she was gone. Her mood is lighter, still feeling unsettled but the high strung bit slowly backing away. The reusable bag falls from her shoulder to a spot on the sand. She hands Everett a can first and placing one for herself on the arm rest of the chair she'd been sitting in. Before Sasha can even open her mouth to request one, Ruby's a step ahead of her. While she's handing her a High Noon, she looks over the top of Sasha's head at her two best friend's still speaking. Colton's face still twisted as Mirren's hands go to her hips. The gorgeous rival of her's mumbling a quick thank you, as simultaneously all of the can tops are popped. "A walk sounds nice, let's go," she beckons Everett with a smile and the flick of her pointer finger.  They begin to walk in the direction that Colt and Mirren. A small bit of wind touches the exposed bits of her body and she feels goosebumps rising onto her legs. She tugs on the zipper of the black quarter zip she'd thrown on earlier in the evening, zipping it all the way up towards her neck.  "Despite all of that, what do you think of the Hamptons so far?" Ruby asks curiously, looking to Everett and then out to the beautiful ocean.  Raised voices could be heard as they inched closer to her friends, Ruby not being able to make out everything even though her ears were straining hard to do so. Then suddenly the sound was done, the pair were breaking apart with Colton charging past Ruby, without even a glance towards her. Her head whips back to see a confused, or maybe even shocked Mirren, watching as Colton marched back up to the Dunmere house. Ruby abandons the slow pace she and Everett had established while walking. "What the hell was that all about?" Joining her best friend and searching her face.