. murder on the dancefloor

[henry albright]

LIFE WAS EUPHORIC WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH

h e n r y o u t f i t

They move from the outskirts, into the party. Saying 'hey' to a few people that stopped him and Colton on the way to the bar. Moving further away from where he'd spotted Mirren and Ruby speaking with Dominic. It's in that space that allows Henry to feel he's safe, even if momentarily. And after all, he was choosing to immerse himself into the lion's den once more. How would Kitty feel upon seeing him in her environment, especially with the unhinged people she dubbed as friends. She had to know it was a possibility for him to show, with Colton only a few houses down. Henry asks for a corona with a lime at the bar, sticking to beer for the night was a better choice. Hard liquor would only fuel the anger he fought hard to keep inside these days. Some triggers in this very house. Squeezing the lime before dropping into the mouth of the beverage. He's not even one sip in before a hand is clasping his shoulder and he's recognizing a member of Kitty's weird friend group. It's not really an option to decline speaking with him, as Cal ushers them to a quiet section of the party. Henry shoots a glance of annoyance at Colton, before he's out of sight. Not sure what this would be about, but certain after this conversation he'd maybe take up his best friend's offer to go somewhere else. He puts the cigarette out at the nearest spot along the way, noticing Calvin's extra look towards it. It's the words out of his mouth that he does not expect. He fights the shock that wants to over take his body, careful to not let it slip. How did he learn this information? It couldn't be Kitty. "I don't know what you're talking about." He states, before Cal confirms more of their little secret. The location. Thumb instinctively rubs at the tattoo of a K on the inside of his ring finger. "Not really any of your business." He shrugs, not wanting to deal out all of the personal information of their wedding night. It was for his  thoughts only.  "I think we both know it's best if your other little friend, Dom doesn't find out. So what's it going to take to keep your mouth shut?"

[dominic vinten cuvo]

Her friend was mere steps away on another part of the carousel, seemingly taken by one of the flaxen horses. “This one suits you,” he says of her choice, an appraising nod offered as he bit his tongue and the true words on it. He studied her face briefly, amused by the stark contrast between the girls. “Why yes, that’s me,” he confirmed coolly, “I’m an old friend of Kitty’s. At last we meet.” The challenge for the night would be sticking to enough of the truth that could be corroborated but lying enough so that he wouldn’t grow completely bored. He didn’t expect Kitty to run interference but so many others were likely to. While it was appealing to invent a whole new version of himself, a simple rotation of personas would have to do. All the levers and dials would have to shift to tone himself down, blend in, and get closer to Mirren. Stepping off the carousel is a ride of its own, Dominic laughing as he shuffled across the sand, trying not to lose grip on the bottle. Mirren briefly uses him for balance and he flashes a diffident half-smile at her reaction, the red tips of her ears quickly moving ahead. “I hear you two like to summer here, how has this one been for you?” he asked from behind the girls, ditching the bottle to a passing waiter. There’s an outdoor bar because of course there is, another one inside to greet and ply their guests, no one bothering for IDs. “A ‘midsummer spritz',” he read from some signage, describing elderflower cordial and rose lemonade with gin. He asked the bartender for three and cheersed to the summer, herding the girls toward some hanging chairs surrounded by dangling ivy and fairy lights. He asked about themselves, about NYU and their experiences in the city, sipping slowly, listening intently despite the vial screaming from his pocket. "How do you like this little soiree?" he asked as a song transitioned, spread out languidly in his chair, gaze flickering between them. "Are you familiar with the story?"

[calvin keller]

& Do I Dare Disturb The Universe?

Mirren Outfit

The evening already feels like one whirl to the next, from the spinning carousel to the vast expanse of the grounds they soon covered. Mirren was decently used to a big lawn but this one went on forever, the house as much of a mystery as its owners, eventually settling into a swinging chair as she balanced the glass precariously in her palm, wiping some of the condensation on her leg as they conversed. It was easier than she expected, settling further into her seat, until he mentioned the true theme of the night, nodding slowly. “I saw the ballet earlier this year,” Mirren adds, her mom training into the city for a girl's night. Her eyes linger quickly on Kitty's antlers. “Isn't this Saltburn's take...” her continuation drops off quickly at the realization of who Kitty was talking to, slowly lifting from the chairs. “Colt's here! He probably hates this all, we should go say hi.” The words trail behind her as Mirren's already headed that direction.

& WITH A KISS, CONSUMES

CAL FIT

Jesus, that was easy. The zest of Henry's lime still hangs in the air and he was already all but confessing, Calvin's glee expanding sevenfold at the knowledge of how much power he suddenly held. For once, once, Kitty could be knocked off her pedestal with the utterance of a sentence to the right person, something Henry seemed to know as much. Calvin's gaze flicks cooly to Dom in confirmation, surprised to find him still with the other girls that been down by the water. Mulling over exactly what he wanted, what else he could pull from the depths to chip away at Kitty's pristine, porcelain facade. “Tell you what,” he begins, set on his course, subtly wishing Henry hadn't put that cigarette out as he'd have stolen it for a victory drag. “I don't need the play-by-play, but tell me where and when the last time you slept with her was and...” His hand waves vaguely Dom's direction then, watching him trail after those girls again. Strange. “And your secret's safe with me. Scout's honor.”

[kitty smith-sato]

LORD, WHAT FOOLS THESE MORTALS BE.                                                        

k a t h e r i n e        outfit

It's a good thing Ruby has already spilled the tea, because it's abundantly clear that Colton never would. Not to her, anyway. From some unseen speaker Echo and the Bunnymen's The Killing Moon starts to play, eerie chords surrounding her like Colt's cigarette smoke. "You're making me crave one," she says, her eyes falling to the stick smouldering between his fingers. "I made a pact with my dads I never would, though...  but then, pacts are so hard to keep. Don't you think?" Speaking of pacts, Kitty throws her hair over one shoulder, taking the opportunity to scope out how Dom's getting on with their little wager. Had she been too hasty? Boundaries blurred by champagne cocktails, Kitty can't help the small thrill she feels at the prospect of losing the bet, wondering what unspeakable depravity Dom would have in store for her... but then she remembers, his winning would be her losing, that all important get out of jail free card slipping from her fingers. Right on cue, her eyes fall to the cause of her need of one in the first place. Henry's here and it feels like the sky is about to fall in. Kitty's blood runs cold in an instant, a cracking sound like breaking glaciers sounding in her ears. She looks from Calvin to Henry and back again, all the while feeling like she's going to pass out... their body language looks bad, but then that could be anything, couldn't it? No need to panic. Still, she's abandoned Colton and started striding across the lawn, passing Ruby and Mirren wordlessly to make a beeline for Dom, clutching his arms and turning him so his back is to the duo. "Dommy," she says breathlessly. "Can we go on the carousel? Please, before it gets washed out to sea, I've got fomo."

[dominic vinten cuvo]

Another friend? Dominic suppresses a roll of his eyes, as if he weren’t part of a strange friend group himself that seemed impenetrable from the outside. And even worse, it’s not another girl—however the name rings a vague bell in his memory, probably a mention in Kitty’s stories once upon a time. Or he could still be thinking of horses, perhaps hallucinating hearing a name like Colt. But it seems Mirren herself was running the most interference of all, Dominic briefly wishing it was Ruby who was his target. As though she could be summoned by the shadow of a thought, Kitty suddenly appeared just as the girls rose to leave, Dominic stuck at a crossroads between the pawns and the puppetmaster herself. “Katherine,” he smiled sweetly while they were still in earshot, wishing for something to grind his teeth on. Perhaps the bone of her wrist that he catches, his grip tightening. “Who could ever suggest such a thing?” Dominic laughed before turning his back to the girls, smile falling and brows crimped together. “You’re going to spoil the grand finale,” he gritted quietly, adamant in this being a rather brilliant allegory for the loss of innocence. Of course if he weren’t stifling himself so much he might be able to monologue about it for all to hear, but he’s got an act to keep up regardless of its boredom. Whisking out the vial to replenish the powder in his bloodstream, Dominic adjusted his collar and looked longingly toward the carousel. “Oh my. You’ll have to be punished for this, you know,” he warned, their upcoming ‘date’ coming to mind. For her sins he would draw more blood, dig deeper. “If you continue to interfere, I will assume you’re forfeiting the bet... In which case, I will happily take my prize.”

[henry albright]

LIFE WAS EUPHORIC WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW MUCH

h e n r y o u t f i t

This was the way that her friend group played. Operating in completely different ways than h was used to. Listening to Calvin talk transported him back to the few times he interacted with them, during their engagement. She always kept them separate, Henry could see why. Keeping secrets, asking strange questions. His head shakes at the demand. But still he's lost on the retrieval of this pretty classified information. Violet being the only one out of their group who knew, due to her presence at the ceremony. But maybe Kitty felt the need to disclose the knowledge to someone else. "You guys are so fucking weird." What did Calvin need these details for? Henry wants to be done with this conversation, but knows that the only who to appease the man in front of him was to do as he was asked.  He was about to put a small amount of trust in Cal, in that he wasn't going to relay the secret to Dominic. "This isn't some game, you know?" Henry replies. "Last week. In the city." He speaks through gritted teeth. "Are we done here? Keep this to yourself." The question is laced with irritation when he finishes the sentence. As the man collecting the information nods his head, and gives a satisfied grin.  Henry stalks away, heading back to where he'd left Colt. Seeing that Mirren and Ruby had now joined, Dominic no longer by their sides. He catches Kitty tugging him back down to the carousel. The Corona is back up to his lips, he takes a longer pull. "I'd be careful around Dom, okay?" It's short and sweet, but a warning he means, given directly to Mirren. "Want to bounce soon, Colt? I'm over this."

[mirren hewitt]

& Do I Dare Disturb The Universe?

Mirren Outfit

As usual, Colt looks simultaneously bored and annoyed that he's existing anywhere but where he wants to, cigarette smoldering between his fingers. Mirren notes how he appears even more rigid around Kitty, posture taut until she finally whirled around. There was a flicker of something else in his eyes though, something masked by his often unreadable expression, but it was gone before she could blink. Maybe it was the champagne, another sip tilted into her mouth as she tugged Ruby up to him. “I wish we could have talked you into the wings,” she pouted in greeting, trading quips as easily as every summer they'd existed out here. It's only until Henry arrives, definitely looking ruffled, that Mirren realizes Dominic really was nowhere to be seen. Disappearing in Kitty's grasp the moment she called, something about Henry's warning settling nervously in her stomach as she watched the pair walk off. “Umm...ok,” Mirren eventually confirms, rolling her eyes as the boys already were making plans to go home. So much for fun together. Reaching out of her hand Mirren tugs on Ruby's wrist, gathering her attention. “Can we all at least take a shot before you go?”

& WITH A KISS, CONSUMES

CAL FIT

There's rare moments where Cal realizes how differently they moved. How their reality was as farfetched to someone as any idea of normalcy seemed, currencies literal and exchanged by hand. It was never how they worked, instead dealing with secrets and vices, weaknesses and the satisfaction of guilt hanging cloyingly overhead. It's what he experiences with Henry now, lips curling in a tight-lipped grin as his shoulders shrugged up. As if to say, you have no idea. As if to say you never will. His answer ignites even further curiosity but a promise is a promise, Cal offering a mock salute as Henry whirled on his too-shiny dress shoes. Last week. When he'd been in town for his sister's birthday, when Cal had found sweet weakness in Kitty's woven hair, when his lips had trailed hot against her neck for the seconds they'd been alone. When no one had known where he was but her, a secret still standing as he looked to the distance she'd put between them suddenly. Wondering if she'd called Henry after, if that brief moment had pushed her closer to a brink they'd been falling toward. Another mystery to solve, another promise to keep, Cal all but shuffling the deck of leverage he held as he helped himself to another drink, wanting to track down Violet to celebrate.

[colton abernathy]

LORD, WHAT FOOLS THESE MORTALS BE.                                                        

k a t h e r i n e        outfit

Her heart continues to hammer in her ears, the inevitable conflict between her husband and her best friend lurching forward. "Please," she says again, lowering her voice under the din of the party noise. "It'll only take what, thirty seconds? A minute? Let them miss you, you can go right back to it after." She lets her hand drop from his forearm to his, clasping it and tugging him in the general vicinity of the carousel, trying to avoid letting her graze linger on the growing group behind them. His threat carries with it the ring of truth. Feeling his resistance start to give as she pulls him away from the main party, she tilts an eyebrow, her voice regaining some of its usual cool impassivity. "Between us it looks like you'll benefit from a pause, your strategy doesn't seem to be working so well... in fact, it's so hard to watch you struggle like this, I might even be persuaded to help you out. Give you an in, of sorts." Approaching the familiar ride, she slips her phone out, firing off a one two word text to Henry: Leave. Now.

WE'LL NEVER BE AS YOUNG AS WE ARE TONIGHT.                                                        

C O L T O N      outfit

A beer seems to have materialised in Colt's hand. As soon as she appeared Kitty has disappeared, taking with her her cutting knowingness, Colt's guard raised all the way up. When Ruby and Mirren appear he gives Ruby a lingering look, a have you been gossiping face that she will have seen before. Soon Henry has rejoined them and Colt nods along to his advice, wanting to take the girls out of here ASAP, to drive a wedge between them and the toxic friend group they threatened to become ensnarled by. Maybe it was too late for Ruby. "If it was up to me we'd have never been here in the first place." Another swig of beer, another look towards Ruby that's tinged with open judgement. "How long have you guys been here?" His eyes go to the bar and back again, the allure of a shot with people he actually liked proving too strong to resist. Maybe it would be fine, they could band together as a foursome and get tipsy, wander down the beach as a unit when it all became too much. "I'm down for tequila."

[dominic vinten cuvo]

Dominic wants to shrug off Kitty, turn around and insert himself in this new friend group. His mind was positively swimming with white lies and stories to embellish, still deciding on the narrative he would push forward tonight. He’d mentioned enough to seem vulnerable, honest: graduating from Princeton, majoring in art history, having semi-prominent parents. It was difficult to mute his colors so to speak, seeming to take more effort just to do less, a strange conundrum unfit for a drug-addled mind to explore. Kitty’s tone shifts and he narrows his eyes at her, not surprised that they’re closing in on the carousel anyway. Damn, bewitched again. The hope of her concession is quickly stamped out despite the warmth of her hand in his, shaking off her fingers in case the girls were watching. “You’re doing it again,” he hissed, stopping in his sandy tracks. In fact, she was beginning to ruin the carousel to him and that was a capital crime if there were any. But just as easily as she sways him she returns to taunting him, Dominic crossing his arms over his chest defiantly. “You gave me the boring one on purpose,” he complained, eyes trained on the ride, wondering where his horse was. “I think she used to be Amish or something,” he sighed, hands moving together behind his back in contemplation. “No wonder you’ve kept Ruby from me all this time,” he smirks, “she seems fun.” The carousel is being pulled in by frantic workers, signaling the top of the hour. “Let’s hear this ‘advice,’ I'm in the mood to be entertained. And don't say coke in the champagne, that was only funny once.”

[kitty smith-sato]

LORD, WHAT FOOLS THESE MORTALS BE.                                                                

k a t h e r i n e        outfit

Dom's resistance does not sting, providing such effective distraction from Henry that she can finally breathe, if only for the next five minutes. "They weren't even looking," she says, from the safety of their new distance. He takes on a petulant energy that she knows well, rolling her eyes as she looks from him to the suffering staff members wrestling with the beast of a fairground attraction. Before they have even completed the task of moving it Kitty has stepped aboard, taking a moment to steady herself. The horses look grotesque to her, faces contorted in a fixed expression of pain. She sits on one and considers her friend, finally offering him a small smirk. "Poor baby, did I give you too much of a challenge? There's no shame in knowing your limits, Dominic. You could call this right now, no one need know you failed so spectacularly." Ruby, now Ruby would have been a challenge of a different kind. "That's where you're mistaken. Ruby's mind is elsewhere. That's the advice. You need to divide and conquer, the three of them police each other's every move... you have zero chance as long as she's got Ruby and Colton in tow."

[ruby anderson]

AND EVERYTHING COMES OUT, TEENAGE PETULANCE.

R U B Y OUTFIT

The pink drink did look good, she nods her head in agreement to her friend. They follow Dominic up to the bar. Her shoes were hurting her feet from the uneven sand, as she walks behind Mirren. She's watching her feet, taking extra caution. Both of the girls had gone for cute, not comfort. Mirren spies Colton first, and announces his presence to Ruby. She smiles to herself at the sight of him, even if she was still a little upset about the night he had alone with Mirren. His usual attire working for the themed night, and there he was fitting right in. He was speaking with Kitty...and it made her uneasy. Kitty walks past them, dragging Dom down to the carousel that he just came from. Interesting, she wonders what the rush was about.  Mirren tugs Ruby into him. "Hello Colty." She gives his arm a squeeze before going to the bar to retrieve the mystery pink drink for the two girls. While she's coming back from the bar, Colton gives her a look. Ruby sees now that Henry has joined the group. One she can read so well. It wasn't me, I don't know what you're talking about. The look sends back to him. She might have been a little bit guilty, but she was going to brush it off. Sipping the drink and letting the group converse. Mirren suggests a shot before the guys leave. Ruby also curious as to why Henry would warn Mirren about Dom. He was just being friendly, right? "Tequila is good..I'll get them. Come with me, Colt." Handing her drink to Mirren as she headed in the direction of the bar.

THE R I S E & THE F A L L

s a s h a

Sasha's mood is sour after the bathroom incident with Kitty. Replaying the entire summer in her head as she walks around  grabbing a champagne glass, finishing it and in repeating. Had it been in front of her face all along? A way to take down Ruby? Her mind is spinning from the champagne and the bit of anger that's stirring inside of her. Kitty didn't ever speak the words, but she understood the meaning. His mind was elsewhere, it was obvious now. After her third round through the champagne cycle, Sasha walks back outside. The drugs and the champagne creating a combination that made Sasha feel invincible. Her heels clicking on the patio, as she stops in her tracks. Eyes immediately halting on Colton, who'd finally joined. She watches as his eyes linger on Ruby. It all made sense now. Stepping a little bit closer, she makes out the words shots, with Ruby and Colt going to the bar to retrieve the drinks. What a happy little group...for now. This was her time, to confront the two of them while the rest of the group stood just a few feet away. Sasha composes herself, but inside she's dying to finally have a moment to remove the crown from Princess Ruby's head. There were a few more people in front of them, they hadn't ordered yet. Her voice interjects, her body directly in the middle of their backs.  "Hello Colt. Happy to see you." Ruby whips around with her words. A fake smile pressed on Sasha's lips. "So. I have a couple questions." Her voice going up an octave. "Out of the two of us, who'd you sleep with first?" Ruby's eyes narrow. "Ever do us in the same day?"

[dominic vinten cuvo]

He's following her and barely realizes it, too drawn to the carousel to willingly turn his back on it, the sky a shade darker than it was when he was last on it. Drawing toward night when it would light up the beach entirely, a spectacle for all to see from every direction. His head tipped back in a throaty laugh at her ridiculous suggestion. “It’s not a challenge. I’m being bored to death,” he clarified, a brand of torture on par with Kitty’s tastes. But they had made this wager many times before, usually for a lot less at stake and never for any real reason but amusement. “I’ve only failed in that I’ve allowed you to sit on a horse rather than my face,” he continued, circling the animal she’d chosen. It didn’t suit her at all, and her lack of thought into it annoys him. “I might have one of these custom made,” he said with a wistful sigh, admiring its insides. “With carvings of my naked body. And you can pick which part of me you’d like to sit on,” he says with a smile, proud of the idea. Back to her advice, Dominic is sat on the horse in front of her, backwards as to face her, enjoying the mechanical motion of her riding up and down. “Oldest trick in the book. Why don’t you help out your dear old brother and keep them occupied for me, hm?”

[mirren hewitt]

& Do I Dare Disturb The Universe?

Mirren Outfit

Mirren breathes a sigh of relief when the request seems to go over well, turning to Henry to question him further about his warning only to find him peering down at his phone, lost in thought at whatever he saw on his screen. It spurs her need to check her own, finding a few messages from Matt who was already back at school for hockey camps in advance of the season. Even if she'd been feeling really off about their relationship lately his banter could still bring a smile to her face, reading through his live commentary of his teammates and excited to see a voice note as the grand finale. She's tuned in to the message, some drama about a teammate and a party he'd thrown on campus, when a temper-pitched voice carried over Matt's warm voice. Mirren's eyes darted to the bar, surprised at Sasha's hostile stance in front of her friends. Where had she even come from? Mirren held the phone away from her ear to try to catch the end of the conversation, taking a drink to be sly only to regret it the moment the words registers. Somehow she manages to swallow the swip down, stomach dropping as her eyes flicked from Sasha's pointed stance to Ruby to Colt. Watching their features morph, breath coming quicker as she stepped closer to the bar. “Sasha you're being insane. She's being insane guys, right? I don't know why you've been trying to tear us apart all summer but this is crossing a line.” As she studies her friends again though she's suddenly unsure of her words, heart beating rapidly as the silence grew. “Right, guys?”

[kitty smith-sato]

LORD, WHAT FOOLS THESE MORTALS BE.                                                        

k a t h e r i n e        outfit

Still no reply from Henry. Kitty fires off a message to Calvin, hoping he can act as enforcer: Henry est-il toujours là? Dis-lui de partir. The music filtering around them is haunting, the whole carousel experience being one Kitty feels unsettled by. It was perverse, an aberration, the last thing on earth she wanted to experience whilst tipsy. "Now now, time for that later. Assuming you win." She lets him talk, saying a silent prayer that by the time they slowed to a stop the balance would be tipped in her favor, Henry and maybe Colton too would have disappeared into the night, gone before Dom could even register their attendance. A bone deep tiredness takes its toll on her, resting her head against the carved pole that sits between her legs, her eyes on Dom's with hazy resistance. "I could be convinced," she murmurs, remembering what was at stake. "But why should I help you win? What's in it for me? And don't say the pleasure of your sexual prowess, if I wanted that I'd have it right now."

WE'LL NEVER BE AS YOUNG AS WE ARE TONIGHT.                                                        

C O L T O N      outfit

"Hey Rubes." Finally, ice starting to thaw. It was clear as day that Ruby was not happy with him, she hadn't been since she had heard the big news of his and Mirren's venture into the unknown. It had been a fun evening but truly nothing Ruby had any right to be annoyed about as far as he was concerned, the two of them making the most of her having abandoned them in the first place. There had been giggles, maybe the odd hug, but really nothing that warranted the sulking that had followed. It had been so out of proportion that Colton had convinced himself she'd been fooling around with guys when she went back to the city, that the whole thing was projection. Still, he's willing to let it go if she is. "Alright, we'll get enough for everyone." He follows her to the bar, opening his mouth to ask her why Kitty had been weird with him, even mentioning their pact, when he realizes-- he'd told Henry. Henry had specifically used the word pact. Had he told her? Mulling all of this over and feeling a renewed desire to get out of this den of vipers, his own sordid little secret creeps up on him, Sasha deciding now would be the perfect time to air it all out. Time slows down to slow motion. "Sasha—" he tries to interject, but it's too late, she's asking the real questions. He opens his mouth and closes it again a few times, trying to force words to the tip of his tongue but coming up short, the shock of it leaving him gawping like a goldfish. He looks from Sasha to Ruby and back again, bile rising in the back of his throat as he desperately tries to find something, anything to say. The only thing that could make this worse is Mirren overhearing, so naturally it becomes immediately clear that she has. The three girls look to him and the heat of it is unbearable, as is the patheticness of his eventual reply.  "It's not as bad as she's making it sound."

[ruby anderson]

AND EVERYTHING COMES OUT, TEENAGE PETULANCE.

R U B Y OUTFIT

She's trying to let the ice melt. The ridiculous anger she felt about him doing something so different with Mirren. They were all friends, there were no sides or room for this pettiness she'd been struck with. It had to be the fear of missing out, mixed with a little bit of these ..feelings she had towards Colton. The feelings were something she was still working through, trying to process while she was so compelled to Colt. They were there though, trying to come up from wherever she'd buried them. Confessing her true inner thoughts to Kitty once she'd been upset upon hearing what she missed out on. Only further anxious to know that doing such drugs together brought out more intimacy...she wanted to be sick to think of him with someone else..including her best friend. But tonight, she's pushing it all aside. Happy to move along from it. Or so she assumed. Until Sasha's breathing down her neck. Now spluttering questions and words in the direction of Colton. Colton tries to stop Sasha but she went on. About her AND Colton. Her eyes narrow at her last words, Colton and Sasha? Wasn't that something to keep Mirren off of their messy trail? Her heart drops to her stomach once she looks to him, standing beside her. No words are said as Mirren joins the group. Ruby's eyes closing, momentarily as she tries to take a deep breath. They spring open as Mirren further questions the two of them. Not here, not right now. Sasha continues though, even after Colton finally breaks the silence. "It's simple, really. Here. Let me break it down. Colton was fucking me AND Ruby. Surprise. What good best friends you have!!" Sasha's face holds a triumphant smile. Ruby feels all the air leave her chest again. Unable to fully process everything as she looks to Mirren, Colt, and Sasha. "No. You didn't..." Ruby finally faces Colton. "I can't believe..." Ruby backs away from the group. No. She didn't want this to be real. Sasha and Colton? Mirren's eyes fiercely trying to search Ruby's face. Why did this hurt so much? And now Mirren was learning of it all. Sasha never looking away from Ruby. She's quick to think,  taking the drink Mirren was holding from her, out of her hand. Splashing the entirety of its contents down Sasha's face, and white tank top. Gasps fly all around as the girl is covered in the drink. Ruby now faces Mirren, hurt and confusion. "Mira.. I'm so sorry.." Ruby gives her best friend a look, would they still friends after this? She can feel the tears building up behind her eyes, and she senses the fear and anxiety of crying in front of others building up. She needed to go. To get out of here now. Fully backing away from the group, not able to face Colton again, she heads down the beach and back to Dunmere.