; cruel summer

[mirren hewitt]

MIRREN

Mirren shrugs, contemplating his question. For all she knows Sasha could be trying to sleep with her, anything to ingratiate herself into the tight knit group. The theory quickly dies when she catches those doe eyes roaming all over Colton's body again, and she's about to comment on it, change the subject after her temper tantrum, when her world gets promptly ripped apart. It's harsh and it's pointed, like Colton's held these opinions for a long time and is only now choosing to wield them. The Matt comments sure, she'd survive. Maybe he was jealous, who the hell knew. But the tourist comment cut quick and deep, Mirren whipping her head back to the beach as the tears welled instantaneously. She'd always thought of them as family, the three kids adrift in the ocean that held to each other for safety and support. Now it's as if he'd cast them out, some pompous prick stomping around on an island he thought he owned. Mirren barely has any recognition when Ruby approaches, expression blank as it trailed Colton's storming body back to the house. "It was stupid, that's what it was. I just asked him to be nice and I got my head bit off." Mirren sniffles and wipes her nose on her sleeve, straightening up when she noticed Everett had followed. "I'm sorry, I...don't feel like talking for a bit." She brushes past them to trail after Colt, trying to ratchet her anger back up but only finding that snap of betrayal instead. "So much for being a family!!" She yells into the house, assuming he'd gone and slammed a door somewhere dramatically. Then, she pulls out of her phone, hitting the first number on her speed dial. "Mom?" Mirren whimpers into the phone, biting her lip at her mother's soothing voice. "Colton's being so mean. When are you coming home?"

[everett howe]

With Ruby’s confirmation Everett eagerly pulled himself out of the chair and onto his feet, the fresh beverage dangling from his grip. Whenever her attention was back on him, his insides celebrated—just like when she showed up to his office door or found his gaze during lecture. This was an entirely new backdrop for them, an experiment into what it would be like to date each other. While Everett was enjoying himself, he was prone to missing cues and more focused on his internal monologue that he had already forgotten about the earlier strife. The feel of the sand under his feet, the sea breeze on his skin, Ruby’s eager strides next to him. “I like it so far. This place is awesome,” he answered easily, matching her pace, hands brushing together in the dark. “I see why you were so excited to come back,” he offered, her moving day being the last time he had seen her in person. Letting Ruby’s trail knowledge lead the way, Everett was surprised to briefly overhead raised voices, this time not oblivious to the fraught body language as Colton stormed past and Mirren seemed rattled. Awkwardly pausing to give them space, Everett hung back in comfortable eavesdropping distance, slowly approaching the girls. “Uh, what’s going on?” he wondered, brow furrowed in confusion at the friend group. “Is it because of me?” he worried, feeling the Atlantic finally lap at his toes.

[ruby anderson]

RUBY

"I don't get him." Ruby eyes dart back and forth between Colt running away and the tears Mirren was fighting. Her heart twisted alongside her stomach.  Ruby tries to reach out for her best friend's hand when she notices the hesitancy that follows when Mira glances behind her shoulder. To what Ruby knows is Everett. He was giving them some space, but this moment wasn't the right time for a talk. Not with his shadow lingering a few feet behind her. She wanted to push with more questions especially if Mirren was okay, even if that answer was obviously no. She nods her head in understanding, as Mirren wipes away the few standalone tears that fell from her eyes. Everett joins, asking the million dollar question but his words a are cut off by Mirren's departure. She lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. The crisp, cold water touching her toes as Ruby hears the slamming of the glass sliding door. "Why would it be about you?" The question falls out harsher than she intends. She backtracks with her next words. "It's just been a hard year for the three of us. I don't really want to talk about it right now either..." Ruby mumbles, stepping further into the water, letting the waves hit at her ankles. This was all her fault, not Everett's. "I think we should just put out the fire and head to bed." Her eyes find that Sasha has disappeared from the fire pit, leaving the beach solely to the two of them. She finally finds his eyes, a sorry expression heavy on her face. Her fingers lightly graze his hand, lacing them as they start towards the fire. "I'm so sorry." It has many meanings, not just for how the evening turned out.

[colton abernathy]

COLTON

Surprising no one, he's stormed back to the pool house, slamming the door behind him. He's glad for the space, grateful to be out of the main house where his sisters would be nagging to find out what's going on. Laying on the bed, he tries to regulate his breathing, guilt starting to creep through the red mist. Had he gone too far? He didn't know why he was so frustrated lately, every tiny thing setting him off. He stares up at the ceiling, trying to remember everything that was said and what started it, a post-match dissection that was doing nothing to assuage his guilt. After a while there's a knock and he ignores it, turning onto his side, facing away from the door. He feels the bed dip as his mother sits beside him with a small sigh. "Colton." She makes it sound like an admonishment and a plea. He says nothing. Helena's hand finds his arm and she gives it a squeeze, the small act of kindness making hot tears start to prickle behind his eyes, his frustration bubbling up again though he's mortified to cry. "Colt," she repeats, climbing onto the bed and putting her arm around him in a tight hug, awkwardly attempting to be the big spoon against his now bulky frame. "Mirren loves you so much. Ruby, too. We all love you, you have to stop the friendly fire." He can smell her perfume and it makes the tears start to roll down his cheeks. "You can only push people away so much before they stop coming back."

[mirren hewitt]

MIRREN

It'd been a while since Heidi had heard her daughter's voice wobble like that. Mirren was often considered the most steady out of the group over time, sometimes loud and boisterous and even over dramatic, but her emotions rarely dipped into a well of sadness. It'd been hard to witness her have to face growing up this year. Not because Heidi knew she couldn't do it, no. She just knew that things would change between the group, someway and somehow, feet finding the hardened Earth and stumbling along their way. Doesn't mean her heart doesn't break when her own eyes stare back at her littered with tears, arms outstretched for the hug she desperately needs. "Oh, baby," Heidi soothes, tiny shoulders hiccuping in her grasp as Mirren sobbed. Gently she kicks the bedroom door shut behind her, anchored anywhere her daughter needed her in this moment. For advice, or just a shoulder to cry on she didn't know yet, hearing her try to find her voice as Heidi's own chest split in two. "I d-d-don't...want to b-b-be here," Mirren's tiny staccato voice manages, slowly steadying as she recounts the story of the last couple hours. Knowing that Helena'd be finding her own child, war torn at their differences. This was always the hardest part, sometimes. When they fought, even when they knew there was common ground their children always came first. "Let's lay down, ok? Deep breaths, it'll all be ok." Something Heidi hopes to be right, curling her daughter against her chest as the heaves straightened out. Faded to deeper breathing, hand running up and down her back as Mirren fell quickly into sleep. "I love you, Mims. It'll get fixed tomorrow, promise."

[everett howe]

The night had screeched to a startling end. Confused by the high emotions between the three friends, and still feeling like an awkward bystander, Everett had to wonder if his presence was the catalyst. Already wary of the delicate threads connecting him to Ruby, he knew the odds that he was walking into a den of snakes by entering Dunmere. It was him against three families here, after all. Even Ruby had snapped at him toward the end. “Oh, yeah, sure. Whatever you want,” he’d said to her plea, a small to-do list stretching out before they could turn in for the night. “Hey, don’t worry about it,” he’d reassured to her apology, glad he hadn’t cracked open the second High Noon. The blonde was kind and apologetic and on the verge of tears herself, a crook carved into Everett’s brow as he tried to comfort her—as much as he could in the quiet, echoing house anyway. Some soft kisses and lingering hugs were all they could manage before they had to part ways into their separate bedrooms. Lying stiff in his assigned bed for a while, Everett stared up at the ceiling, recounting the evening: Colton’s acerbity, Mirren’s wit, Ruby’s energy. It had started so well with their date, always best when it was just the two of them. He knew this—them—would be difficult, but perhaps he had underestimated even that. Eventually lulled to sleep by the darkness, Everett roused early in the morning, his body trained by his regular schedule, compelled by the scent of salty air and hot coffee. Wandering to the kitchen, he was happy to encounter Heidi Hewitt...before the other two moms came into focus as well, Everett swallowing thickly at the realization he was about to be grilled. Accepting a steaming mug, he settled at the table and willed the effects of a thousand anxiety meds into his system. Under the microscope of the three women, Everett introduced himself more in depth, touching on his San Diego roots, his scientist parents, his internships and extracurriculars, his research on the structure-property relationships of organic molecules. If he treated it like an interview, he could get through this conversation. Naturally, he had to mention his TAship and meeting Ruby, adamant about their relationship only beginning once the semester was over, that it was an unexpected and admittedly precarious development. Heidi recognized Angelo's name and briefly recounted some gossip about him, momentarily taking attention from Everett as his ears burned with white lies. He asked about their educations and careers in turn, mortified to be reminded that Helena worked at NYU.

[mirren hewitt]

MIRREN

It's a long morning, the next day. Mirren wakes sharply in her own bed, knowing her eyes are swollen and face puffy long before she sees them in her bathroom mirror. She grabs an ice roller from her beauty fridge, trying to mitigate the damage to avoid cautious looks. She'd rather be angry than sad at this point, rolling her eyes when Colton's apology brightens on her screen. It feels good for a moment, to use that anger. But then she settles, and the conversation turns, and she's gently tugged from the clutches of her fire as he gives. Just a little bit, just enough. Ruby is a different story. She still feels some of the awkwardness in her system when she makes it down the stairs, pausing as she comes face to face with Everett and the moms. She could care less about the oversized hoodie and boxer shorts she's wearing, more so curious about the Shark Tank-esque setup they seem to have trapped him in. "Morning," Mirren chirps, tucking under Heidi's arm and offering a more positive smile when she knew her mom was scanning her face. "It's fine," she confirms after a second, ducking away to grab one of the banana nut muffins for Colt, socks slipping on the hardwood floors. "Enjoy the grill - Mom, he's been dying to talk science with you. Really idolizes you, massive fan." She tips her head pointedly in Everett's direction, raising a brow before she dragged her Birkenstocks on. Probably best to avoid Ruby for a minute anyway, their text conversation still stewing in her brain as trotted out to the poolhouse with Colt's requests. Mirren manages to tap the door with the back of her full hands, balancing a coffee and croissant for herself. "Knock knock, special delivery."

[ruby anderson]

RUBY

Ruby spent a greater portion of the night staring up at the ceiling. After a series of text messages back and forth with both of her best friends she tried to shut her brain off but it wasn't happening. Each of their conversations on a constant loop whenever she even attempted to close her eyes. After the third time of rolling around and checking the clock on the nightstand, Ruby knew what she had to do. Emptying a new dark secret, she typed up all the thoughts and feelings that troubled her. The diary she kept hidden in the notes section of her phone, safe from the eyes of Sasha and everyone involved. Losing track of time being so deep in something that she's still not able to comprehend. It wasn't until Spencer hollered from bellow, his makeshift bed on floor, at Ruby to turn off the light and go to bed. Her eyes flickered at the clock stating 2:47AM before attempting to sleep again. This time, her body and mind finally gave in. She's alone in her bedroom when she wakes. Eyes feeling heavy as she glances around the room to see the absolute mess Spencer left in his place. Arms stretching over head and a small yawn leaving her lips, she hauls herself out of bed. She tidies up the sheets, covers and accidentally touches a pair of his boxers. Just as quickly as she's picked them up, she lets out a fake gag and tosses them onto his blow up mattress. She pulls on a lounge set from the dresser drawers and freshens up for the day. An outfit change, most likely a shift to a bikini would come sometime after the breakfast hour. The door shuts behind her softly and she begins to take a few steps towards the staircase when voices can be heard below. It sounds like Mirren's voice in the kitchen and she mentions Everett. Her heart thumps harder in her chest as she takes a deep breath. It's the sudden closing of the back door and a peek out window which greets the top of the stairs, that Ruby feels safe to come down. Mirren was heading to Colton, go figure, she thinks. "Morning," she speaks, the tone not as chirpy as the rest of the crowd seems to be. Another yawn escaping as she smells the delicious coffee awaiting. Everett was in the midst of the moms, coffee mug in hand and looking a tad bit uncomfortable. She notices her mom's forehead scrunched, as if she was trying to read Everett. Ruby fills a cup up of coffee, listening to bits of their conversations. She knows her mom is staring, trying to make direct eye contact as she helps herself to a cup. Ruby gives her a small smile finally. The conversation was crossing the path of chemistry when Ruby interjects. "Everett, let's go outside, yeah?" There was another hard thump of her chest. Anxiety closing up her throat as she leads the way to the chairs she frequented with her coffee or breakfast. Ruby sits with her back to the pool house, giving it a final look while getting settled. "We need to talk," she murmurs the worst four words, hands twisting in her lap.

[everett howe]

If the coffee didn’t rattle his senses awake, then the three women taking turns at conversing with him surely did. Although most curious about Heidi and most intimidated by Helena, Everett knew if there was anyone to impress it was Mel. Ruby had briefly coached him on some topics to pick from, usually involving ballet or her brothers. Altogether they were also quite pleased to talk about the history of Dunmere and their many traditions here, Everett buying time until someone else joined them lest they run out of questions. Fortunately sooner rather than later Mirren first made her appearance (completely outing his enthusiasm about Heidi, much to his chagrin) and then, soon after, the star of the show. Happy to be rescued from the mothers, Everett perked up at her invitation. Saved by the blonde! Excusing himself from the older women, Everett caught up to her on her path outside, wondering about the possibilities of the day. Would they spend it entirely at the beach or perhaps wander the town? Could he break out the surfboard? Would he show them his fire tricks later? He had already looked at the weather forecast and laid out his daily dose, though he was certain today would be much easier now that they got all the introductions behind them. “I think that went well,” he said with a giddy smile, in reference to the kitchen ambush. Unfortunately he was not immune to that daunting string of four particular words. “Is everything alright?” he automatically wondered, taking a seat next to her, perturbed by the suddenly grave expression on her face despite having just woken up.

[colton abernathy]

COLTON

Sun streams in through the window, since Colton had fallen asleep without touching the blinds. He's still dressed in his clothes from yesterday, his chest heavy with guilt as he immediately remembers his conversation with Mirren from the day before. Conversation is putting it politely. Groaning, he reaches out for his phone and types out an apology, hitting send before he can stew on it, not letting himself to get riled up all over again. It hadn't been her fault. He also messages Ruby, their agreement fresh in his mind as he wakes up in an empty bed, Sasha unhappily turfed out last night. He has a shower and pulls on his trademark white vest, just putting on some boxers as there's a knock at the door. It's a familiar voice and he's grateful someone is breaking his self imposed exile, since he's absolutely starving. Opening the door to Mirren, he wraps his arms around her in a tight hug that threatens to crush her delivery. "Thank you." He takes the food from her, taking a massive bite as he steps back to let her in. "Oh shit," he murmurs, seeing Ruby and Everett step into the garden, "you might want to hold back a few minutes if you don't wanna be involved with that."

[ruby anderson]

RUBY

The hands that she's twisting suddenly feel sweaty. They rub along the lounge shorts she'd chosen to wear. The face she's making does nothing to reveal the nervous tic she's trying to hide. Her heart rate would be an alarming level right now, for the anxiety that pummels her stomach. Ruby gives her hands a break once they get seated on the tables at the back of the house, closest to the garden. Taking a sip of the delicious coffee that's always stocked in the Dunmere house. The smell of the beautiful blooming hydrangeas that normally filled her with a calm feeling would do no such thing. Everett speaks about how that went well, with the moms. A smile and the giddy look on his face pains her. For she did like Everett, a lot actually. But a deal was a deal. She couldn't, and or wouldn't back down.  "Everett, I-," she begins, but can't find the words. They're stuck on her tongue. The pool house was not too far away and that thought leaves her unsettled. Ruby could be cruel, but not to this level. Would Colton be watching? Of course he would be, making sure that Ruby would be following through with her promise of making Everett leave. After all, he'd forced Sasha out of his place last night, it was her turn. "Come with me," she begins again, feeling an ounce of bravery she hadn't been feeling moments ago. Leading him with the coffee mug in her hand, down towards the beach where everything imploded not even twelve hours ago. Ruby kicks her sandals off and steps towards the water. "You shouldn't like me, Everett. I'm not a very nice person." She can't look at him while she mutters the words. The list of the things she's done compiling in her mind. A cold brush of water touches her toes with the waves crashing to the shore. "I've been really selfish inviting you here when things are clearly not okay...with my friends and I." It was the truth, in some ways. Later on it would disgust her how much she wanted to please Colton in this very moment, not the person standing beside her. "I think you need to go back to the city," she has mustered the courage to finally look at Everett. Confusion on every bit of his features. The sweet man who she did care about. "You don't deserve this. I'm sorry. But I think I need to focus on them and me, right now."

[everett howe]

While last night had ended strangely, Everett couldn’t figure out what had transpired between then and now. Unless the group has secretly roused while he slept and hung out without him until dawn, he was perplexed by the seemingly missing series of events. Not that he would privy to much anything here, seeing as he was the only one out of place. Ruby seems stuck on her words, stark contrast to the bright-eyed girl challenging him in office hours, demanding this or asking that. It wasn’t often he got to see this vulnerable side of her, but when he did he was always left confused what had brought it out. Following her once more down to the beach, the coffee was beginning to take hold of his nerves. “Wait, what?” he asked with a nervous laugh, his head jerking as if a bug had just flown through his ear. The sand beneath his feet again, he listens to Ruby disparage herself. “I don’t like when you say that,” he protested, unable to find her eyes. There was something wrong. At the mention of her friends, he tried to offer a supportive shrug. “Was it that bad? I thought you said you were all back to normal again,” he recalled, especially since the fun of their festival together. Maybe they were developing cabin fever, sick of each other in their beach town isolation. When she finally meets his eyes, it’s to essentially tell him to leave. “But…” he stopped short. He hadn’t even been here twenty-four hours. He’d rented the car and cleared his schedule and planned this date (was the date that bad?). “Why did you invite me then?” he wondered, his confusion unraveling into more anxiety, more questions. “You all have been together this whole time… But it’s the first time I’ve gotten to see you. What changed?”

[mirren hewitt]

MIRREN

The intensity of the hug continues to thaw her further, Mirren's eyes widening at the coffee that's dangerously close to spilling its chilled contents down his back. But she lets herself lean in, close her eyes and breathe in the fresh scent of his skin and the laundry detergent that had been used out at Dunmere for years, and tried to reconcile all the malice from the past evening with the boy who stood in front of her, half a muffin shoved in his mouth and eyes weirdly docile. "Starving much?" Mirren jokes, but her interest is quickly clipped once she looks over her shoulder. "Did she tell you she was telling him to go, too?" Strangely self conscious about what Colt and Ruby seemed to share after earlier this year, Mirren takes a sip of her drink and gently shuts the door behind her, dropping down to crawl under the ledge of the window that faced them. It doesn't take long for Ruby to move but that's never deterred a girl from spying, darting to the laundry room and gently lifting open the window to try to hear the conversation drifting from the shore. Lips twisting into a pout when the waves lap up the noise. "I don't get it," she finally murmurs, jumping up onto the washing machine and slugging another sip. "Like she was excited for him to be here and now it's just...voila? Like I get we fought but it's not like it changed everything? I dunno...I think it's rude, but I guess it's also rude for me to say that so."

[colton abernathy]

COLTON

Colt feels Mirren's body go lax in his arms, a telltale sign that she was easing up on him. For all their closeness, physical intimacy had never been his strong suit, only ever employed in greetings and farewells, or in the rare cases of complete remorse, as existed now. Whatever his issues were with the current situation, the blame did not lay solely at Mira's feet and even Colton could see that. "Always." His eyes follow hers, wondering briefly what she must think of all of this. He had tried to get Ruby to see it from Mira's perspective, to see that to her that all it took was his mild disapproval for her to switch everything up on Everett. Of course there was more to it than that, and Colt was acutely aware of the risk they were running now, making it so obvious that there was more going on than met the eye. Which is why he has to seriously pause as she continues the conversation. Guilt twists his stomach, Mirren's obvious trust and its related obliviousness making him feel awful. "No, but I could tell something was off. She's telling him to leave?" He tries to remember what he's said, how much he's let on, how dumb to play. He's fairly sure he's said nothing. Spurred on by that and what Mira's saying, he nods along. "You know Ruby. She makes impulsive decisions. But I agree, I think that's fucked up, she should never have dragged him out here."

[ruby anderson]

RUBY

Ruby couldn't believe she was doing this. Asking Everett to leave without even being at Dunmere for twenty four hours. She was always impulsive, selfish and attention-seeking. It was no surprise to those around her, especially in her later years. While she really did want Everett to be here, so much of her time here was coming to a head. Colton, Everett, Sasha, Mirren, the secret keeping.  He probably wouldn't even speak to her after this. Would this be worth it? Thousands of thoughts are floating through her mind as she breathes in the ocean air. At the end of the day, she'd do anything for Mirren and Colton. They were supposed to be there no matter.. it's what they always promised. If Ruby and Colton's actions weren't so obvious, they'd be able to take this secret to the grave. "That was really bad. I don't know what is going on with Colton. I've never seen him yell at Mirren like that. It's usually directed towards me." There was bits of truth in her statement, followed by a few white lies. Ruby the real reason for Colton's actions, Everett being here. Something Mirren had said to her in their early morning texts really stuck with her - Colton had been so upset with Mirren even dating Matt and his irrational emotions to her boyfriend of a year being on their sacred grounds. She snaps her trailing thoughts back up to Everett's confused and hurt face. "Everett. Please. Don't. I can see where this is going," she murmurs softly while grabbing his hand, afraid to hurt him even more. For once she lets the emotions be revealed on her face. "This isn't you. It's all me and I'm really sorry." The ocean waves persist in their thrashing on her feet. Combined with the emotions she was feeling and the heaviness of their conversation, Ruby takes a few steps back. Pulling Everett with her, as she's still searching his face. "I like you and I did want to see you. Maybe we can hang out again when I get back to the city," she offers, well aware it could fall on ears. "You're so great, and so was the date but this is a mess here and I think you need to leave," she knows she can't offer any more words. Ruby wanted to include her path of self-destruction and how it taints everything she touches. It was best to just let her appear like the bad guy. He didn't deserve Colt's attitude and her sudden uncertainty of feelings towards her best friend. It would give everything away if she told Everett anything else. "I'm so sorry again," she drops his hand pulls her arms into her body, nervous for how he'll take it all.