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Realistic or Modern Arranged

Aato

Social(ly-inept) Butterfly
Surprise!

You're engaged!

9757_plasma-arranged-marriage-313x239.jpg


...Or maybe it's not such a surprise. Maybe you knew that. In either case, your parent/guardian has arranged for you to marry the person of their choice. There are many different reasons for this to happen from business to social ties.

Whatever the reason, you're in the middle of it and your life is about to change.

______

pasta pasta ; CharlieJacz CharlieJacz ; apolla apolla ; DeerPrince DeerPrince ; HoneyMelon HoneyMelon ; CharlesAngel CharlesAngel ; Steve Freeling Steve Freeling ; @Kumari
OCC ::.:.:: Characters
 
It was ten hundred hours. Steve Freeling walked into the Simi Valley, California Police Department with his partner Joanna "Dutch" Schaefer and a woman they'd arrested. Dutch stood at five-foot nine with short medium brown hair and blue eyes. Not only were they partners, but they considered each other friends. Dutch had been holding the suspect by the arm. She finally let her go in front of the desk.

"Book her." Dutch intoned flatly.

"What's the charge?" Desk Sergeant Hannah Parras inquired.

"Theft of police property; reckless driving; impersonating an officer; lying to an officer; bribery." Steve answered plainly.

The woman had stolen a police cruiser, sped through the streets, and written up tickets for innocent drivers in a bid to swindle them out of their money, all before attempting unsuccessfully to convince the two that she was an officer and to wave thirty-five dollars in front of them in that order.

"Okay." She began to fill out the paperwork. "Hey, Huffman, take her to get her prints done and then get her in a cell."

A female officer named Huffman who stood at five-foot ten grabbed the suspect by the arm and took her to the fingerprinting section. With that taken care of, Steve turned on his heel to return to patrol.

"Freeling."

"Yeah, Sarge?"

"Chief wants you in his office."

Wonder what Dad wants. With that, Steve turned on his heel once more, this time to go to his father's office. He opened the door and walked in.

"Yeah, Dad?"

Walter Ezekiel "Zeek" Freeling sat behind the desk, his blue eyes tired and his hair ruffled. Unlike most chiefs who would wear a suit and tie, Zeek wore a blue uniform just like everyone else in the station because it was what he'd become accustomed to after so many years on the force.

Zeek stood up and looked out the window. He sighed. How could he tell his son what his mother had done? He had to tell him, though. There was no use putting it off.

"Steve, I won't bullshit you and I won't beat around the bush because you need to know. Your mom did something I didn't agree with. She was gung-ho about the idea and I reluctantly played along. Seven years ago, your mom had a lunch break with one of her coworkers, Lydia, and they arranged a marriage between you and Lydia's daughter, An Vinh. The two of you are supposed to marry in seven months."

Steve had an appropriately perplexed expression. "What the hell? Mom..."

"Yes, she did."

"So I'm engaged to a complete stranger."

"Yeah, Steve, that's about the size of it."

Steve smirked a little. "Well, Dad, I guess we always knew Mom would get back at us for all those R-rated action movies she didn't want me and Cindy seeing at such a young age."

Zeek, too, couldn't stop a smirk from forming. "My God, you're right, Steve. She's been plotting her vengeance against us the whole time. Oh, yeah. Your mom told me to give you this."

It was a piece of paper with the girl's name and number; Steve folded it and inserted it into his pocket.

With that, Steve walked out of the office into the lobby where Dutch was waiting to go back on patrol. Before long, they were in the garage at their cruiser. Where Steve had driven the last time, Dutch was driving this time around.

"So, what was that about with your dad?" Dutch asked as she turned the key in the ignition.

"Well," Steve clasped his seat belt, "I'm engaged. Thing is, I didn't know until now."

"Hold on a minute, what are you saying?"

"Mom conspired with one of her business partners over lunch that I would marry the daughter of the latter. Dad didn't agree with it, but he reluctantly played along. We're supposed to marry in seven months. Dad gave me the girl's number in order to call her later."

"Are you serious? Seven months? You date at least a couple years before you marry." Dutch shook her head incredulously. That was when the radio crackled to life reporting graffiti painters at the local library.

"Never a dull moment, is there, Dutch?" Steve smirked.

"On this job, Freeling? You bet your ass there isn't." Dutch also smirked.

With that, they drove off to the library.
 
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An Vinh sat at home - her parents' home - at the desk in her room filling out applications on her laptop for local jobs. The 26-year-old still didn't have her life totally figured out, but this didn't bother her...most of the time. While her family was paved pretty smoothly - her mother being a business woman and her father, a professor - her road had been bumpy... Admittedly, this was somewhat of her fault, but she felt her parents played a fair role in it. Some 'scandal' during her junior year of high school had prompted her parents to basically ship her off to Vietnam once she graduated - although the story she usually told was that she voluntarily went. They thought that a little immersion in her cultural roots would 'fix' their 'overly Americanized' daughter ...or something like that. 'Hypocrites.' In any case, she stayed there with family for a year and a half before returning home. College had been the next path and by 25, she was back to figuring out what she was going to do with her life. Her mother was going to attempt getting her a position with her employer, but An Vinh declined. While her degree was the most generic of all - Business - she didn't want to work a plain desk job. And her father had already done enough favors for her by getting her a discounted education since he worked at the university. (Although, that was considerably more for her parents than herself.) So, here, the 26-year-old sat on her day off from her part-time job as a barista, researching and applying for jobs more suited to her interests and hoping she'd get picked up somewhere.

As if her living arrangements weren't bad enough - not that she was complaining about living with her parents, but just the fact that life hadn't become more yet - her mother had been on her since 21 about finding a nice man to settle down with (because they weren't having any of that bisexual, kissing girls-hoopla that she was talking about - at least, she wasn't about to marry one). The young woman didn't care much about relationships - not that she didn't care, but she wasn't rushing anything to happen. 'You're getting up there.' Her mother would tell her. 'You need to marry by 30... Maybe it will help you establish your career and prepare for children... Or if you find a decent enough man, you can be a housewife.' An Vinh quivered at the thought. ...And while she wasn't opposed, children were the furthest thing from the young Asian's mind right now. There just seemed so much more to do with life before then...

Knock, knock, knock.

She pushed back in her desk chair and turned to see her father peaking around her doorway. "An Vinh, your mother and I want to talk to you. Please come to my study," his accented voice requested, calm but serious. He disappeared before she could ask any questions.

She hiked an eyebrow. 'Dad's study? That's only for major things. Well...' She pressed 'save' on her current application, then got up to make her way downstairs, past the living room, and to her father's study. The door was open and before entering, she could see that her mother was also sitting inside with a chair off to the side of her father's desk and that they were quietly chatting in tongue. Sometimes she thought they forgot that not only had they raised her knowing Vietnamese, but that her skills had improved significantly since she went to live in the country, especially her listening skills. Though, fortunately enough for them, they were speaking low enough that she could quite make out any words.

They stopped abruptly when she entered. Her father nodded toward the door as a signal for her to close it behind her, so she did just that, then she sat across from the desk in a chair from the kitchen table that was placed a little further back than usual. Her father, Quyền Bảo - or more colloquially known as 'Brian' - looked over at her mother, an expression she was able to read as one that said 'Well, this is all you...' So, she also looked to her mother who was smiling at her like a crazy person.

"So, if someone died or is really sick, I prefer you just tell me..."

"No, An Vinh - no one died and no one's sick."

"So....?"

"Now, baby, I know what you're going to think, but it's much better than you think it is..."

'Uh oh...'

"I was at work talking to a co-worker and we started talking about our children and how close they were in age and single, and--" The way her mother spoke made it apparent that she was nervous.

"Mom, I don't want to go on a date. Thanks, though."

"Great. You don't have to... You'll be marrying him in seven months."

An Vinh was relaxing her seat until the second half of what her mother said registered in her head. "What? Come again? I don't think I heard you correctly."

"You're going to be marrying my co-worker's son."

"What? Mom, no... Mom... How--? Why? I-- No, no, no, no. No, I'm not. Did you pay some sort of dowry? Get a refund. I'm not doing that."

"An Vinh, be reasonable..."

"Mom, you've got me marrying some random guy. Not just a date, marriage. I feel like I've been sold."

"It's not like that, dear. He's very nice. His mother and I have talked at work for a while now, so we kind of know each other. He's only a little older than you. He's got a good job as an officer..."

Feeling like she wasn't going to get anywhere with her mother, she looked at her father. "Dad! You just let this happen?" She looked between the two, her gaze stopping on him again.

He shrugged. "I've known for a while now, but your mother made these plans without me."

"Vinh, it's not that bad. Look at it this way, a lot of things for you are secured in this situation. You'll be taken care of and he has to treat you well - you have to treat each other well, otherwise it makes the family look bad. There's more obligation riding on your relationship and it'll help you stay together."

An Vinh only sighed and placed a hand over her face. "That might be nice, mom, if I was marrying someone that... I don't know... I wanted to marry!"

Lydia, her mother, opened her mouth to speak but was cut short by her daughter.

"I-- I need time," she said as she stood up to head for the door. "Holy fu--" She caught herself, but had still received a stern glare. "I gotta go wrap my head around this."

"His name is Steve!" Lydia called after her daughter, only to get a heavy sigh in response.

So, either she was getting her shit together or becoming the dainty little Asian housewife sooner than she thought...
 
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"Chuchu, are you getting ready?"

"Yeah! I'm almost dressed!"

"Okay! Good!"

Today was the day that Cortez would be meeting his wife-to-be for the first time. Her name - Arianna - was pretty much all he knew, along with stories his mother had told him - mostly about her time dating Arianna's father and how they had stayed friends. Part of him low-key wondered if this was his way of weaseling his way closer to his mother again, but according to his mother, he knew she was married and so was he. Whatever. Cortez was gonna keep an eye open.

His mother had dropped this on him a month ago and he nearly died, but has since come to accept it for the most part. He had five months left as a single man - engaged, but single. Then, he'd have a number of new responsibilities to take on, including developing and nurturing a real relationship with this stranger. He had a few months left to prepare, not just a decent place to live, save money, and get himself together, but to also get to know this girl so it wouldn't be too awkward to start.

His mother had assured him that he would like her. 'I know what my baby likes.' She told him. Cortez wasn't so sure of that, but he had no choice but to have some faith in his mother. Aesthetics weren't the only thing he cared about, though. He hoped she'd be nice too...even more nice than pleasing to the eye.

"Tez, mom said come on." His sister, Angeli, popped up in his doorway. The two shared their apartment together, but in the light of her little brother getting married, she made a deal with him to move out and let him keep the place.

Cortez was in the mirror, buttoning the last notches on his shirt when he heard his sister. "I'm coming now." He slipped his shoes on before following behind her out of the room.

"You two ready?" Their mother, Yucca, asked standing by the front door with a hand lingering on the knob. She seemed impatient, but was really just eager. "We're going to be meeting your father and your uncle at the restaurant, so we just need to get ourselves there."

Both children nodded as they came around the corner from the hall. The family filed out of the door and headed for their cars with Cortez and Angeli taking his car and their mother going in her own, well, her rental car. She backed out of the driveway first so that the siblings could follow her to the restaurant they were meeting the other family at. All of this revolved around their mother, the only one who seemed to know the details of this...'ordeal', and didn't seem to bother filling anyone else in except at random moments. They weren't even sure how much their father knew. So, they all followed her lead.
______
apolla apolla
(Sorry if it seems rushed... It actually kinda is, hahah. Wanted to get the post in before work.)
 
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Arianna Jamison


"Arianna? Are you ready yet?" Her father was knocking insistently on her door, and while Arianna wished beyond everything that she was still in her sweatpants and loose-fitting tank top, she wasn't. No, she was in the black and white poofy nightmare of a dress her father had presented to her a month ago. She remembered being excited for the dress, because she couldn't lie-- it was beautiful.

But everything related to the dress and beyond went to shit when he dropped the bombshell on her that he and her mother had arranged a marriage for her. Though it felt like ages ago, it had really only been a month since she found out. She wasn't sure when the wedding was set for; although she had a feeling she would find out tonight.

"Arianna?" Her father knocked again, and she blew out a breath and stood from her vanity, turning towards the door.

"You can come in, dad." She spoke, her voice less than enthused.

Either not catching that or choosing to ignore it, the door opened and her father stepped in, his eyes widening when he saw his beautiful daughter. She'd put her platinum and black hair up in a wavy, messy bun of sorts that somehow ended up looking okay. She wore a black onyx intricately designed necklace given to her by her mother years ago, with earrings to match.

"You look stunning." He approached his daughter, hands outstretched.

While Arianna didn't want to have anything to do with him at the moment, he was her father, and she couldn't stand to see the hurt in his eyes if she denied him. So she allowed him to hug her, although her hug back was less than enthusiastic, much like her voice.

They left shortly after, Ari now sporting a pair of silver high heels. They rode in the family car, and the ride was silent as Arianna chose to look out of the window rather than speak to her parents. They arrived at the restaurant, and Henry and Tessa led Arianna inside. Though she really wanted to run in the opposite direction, she knew she wouldn't make it far.

So, holding her head up high, she marched in behind her parents as they headed for the private room in the back. There were already people here, although Arianna wasn't sure which one was her betrothed. She remained by the door, clutching her tiny purse, waiting for the inevitable.

b92de17de16193289d811e78fa7c81fe.jpg


coding; allrightsreserved deer deer
31efc37929ea191e8048f6a3cc25d326.jpg
Location: Heading to meet her betrothed
Mood: Highly irritated
Tags: Aato Aato
 
Cortez and Angeli rode in silence for the first part of the trip, her driving and him in the passenger seat. He only looked out the window and sighed before finally breaking the silence.

"Li-Li, I'm scared."

Angeli only smirked and that smirk soon became a giggle to which her brother looked over at her with a glare. "Today's not the day to be worried. That day comes five months from now. You're just meeting the girl. Imagine it's a blind date on steroids."

Feeling a little bitter at how easygoing his sister was about the situation, he folded his arms over his chest almost as if to pout. He couldn't understand why his older and very single sister wasn't the one being forced to marry some guy. Then again, he wouldn't put it past his mother to get Angeli hitched against her will too. Regardless of how he felt, though, Angeli had a point that admittedly eased his nerves to some degree, but it didn't get rid of them. The day might not have been here yet, but it was coming and once it did, that was it. It was there to stay and that was enough to be scared of right now.

His attention was only pulled out of his thoughts when Angeli patted his leg, a gesture meant to be comforting. "Don't worry, Tezzi. Breathe and take it a day at a time."

With a sigh, he unfolded his arms and nodded.

"Good boy," she praised teasingly.

The car then turned into the parking lot of the restaurant and she parked relatively close to the entrance before the two got out. Cortez stopped Angeli once they walked to the back of the car. "How do I look?" He straightened out his clothes then looked up at her. He watched as his sister's eyes traced him then she nodded.

"You're very cute." She reached to pinch his cheek and he swatted her hand away with a smirk.

"Go," he gave her a playful little shove toward the building and she giggled.

"What you should be worried about is that spicy cologne you chose. Stereotypical much?" She called back, teasing him.

"Shut up!"

He had looked up in time to see his mother roll her eyes at them as she held the door. 'Hurry up,' she mouthed with impatience.

Inside, their mother told the person at the door about their private dining room reservation under Villanueva & Jamison and they were promptly led that way through the rest of the restaurant, not too crowded but definitely not empty. Following behind his mother and sister, he couldn't help thinking about the other people enjoying themselves at their tables, living normally and oblivious to what he was being forced into. ...So, maybe that was a little dramatic, but it was true.

As soon as they made it to the room, they could see the lavish and formal table setup and fixtures hanging from the ceiling that were of a slightly higher quality than those in the rest of the restaurant. Aside from his father and uncle, the room was empty and Cortez let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He was relieved that the other family hadn't arrived yet.

"Well, we wait now and get seating situated. We're going to start with the middle and work our way out, that way Cortez and Arianna can sit together in the center. So, Angeli, I want you next to your brother, I'll sit next to you, and then your father by me." Yucca pointed to their places as she spoke.

She really had this organized, didn't she...

He went and took his seat as directed, feeling a little irked about being told what to do, but probably only because he was throwing a mild temper tantrum. Otherwise, he wouldn't have cared.

Just as everyone got settled, the door was opening again and Cortez held his breath as he watched the unfamiliar faces file in. An older couple entered first, to which his mother and father immediately got up to welcome. Then a younger woman came through the door, but stopped just within it. The door closed and settled and he figured there must have been no one else coming.

So, that... That must be her. Well, he had to say his mother didn't do bad at all. She wasn't what he had expected for a number of reasons, but that was mostly a good thing. "Wow," he murmured under his breath. Though, he suddenly found himself in pain. "Ow!" He jumped and looked over at his sister who had kicked him under the table.

"Stop staring like a creep. Go talk to her."

"Talk to her? And say what? Hi, I'm your husband?"

"I mean, you wouldn't be lying, but your name is probably better."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm sure she knows that."

"So? She never heard you say it. Go." She began nudging him in his seat, practically shooing him away.

"Okay, okay..."

He stood, once again adjusting his clothes and swallowing hard before going to approach the woman. Coming from around the table, he could see more of her now, including her long legs in heels. 'Oh Dios mio - not heels... She's probably taller than me... She's probably going to think I'm too short...' He worried. 'No, Tez, you got this. You're cute. You're dressed up, smell good... You just gotta work the charm... Oh boy. Here we go...'

He gave her a little tap then brushed a nervous hand through his hair as he offered her a congenial smile. "Hi... Are you... Arianna? I'm Cortez." He extended a hand for her to shake.
______
apolla apolla
 
Arianna Jamison


Her parents didn't even notice that she remained by the door, and Arianna considered turning and making a break for it. She took a tiny step backwards, and was in the process of reaching behind her for the door handle when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Shit!" She gasped, twirling around on her heels to come face to face with whoever had tapped her. She was fully expecting to see one of her parents, or a waiter, so she was surprised when she saw an attractive, but nervous looking male in front of her.

"Oh, fuck. I mean hi. I mean yes. I mean-- fuck." Stumbling over her words, she forced herself to shut up, blowing out a sharp breath as she did so. Even in her heels, he was taller than her. Not by much, but Arianna only stood at five foot tall barefoot, and the heels added four inches. Once she felt she'd collected herself, she tried again. "Yes. I'm Arianna."

She glanced down at his hand, and after a moment extended her own, shaking his hand. She withdrew probably too quickly, but she didn't care. His name hadn't escaped her, nor had the fact that he approached her first. Glancing around, she saw that more than one pair of eyes were on them. She was used to being in the public's gaze, with her parents jewelry business. Le Beau Diamond, it was called, even though none of them were french, and they sold so much more than diamonds. Her parents said it sounded classier.

Despite this, she was already beginning to feel trapped and uncomfortable. She was going to do it-- she was going to run. Fuck this, she couldn't stand to be here, with these people, with a man she was supposed to be marrying...

But before she could turn around, her father appeared at her other side, taking her elbow and gesturing towards the table. He spoke into her ear, saying something that she couldn't comprehend because her blood was roaring in her ears. Either way, she nodded, allowing him to escort her to her seat. It was meant for Cortez to sit beside her, she was sure. There were so many people between her and the door now; she'd never make it.

Clutching her tiny purse so hard her knuckles began to turn white, she forced herself to calm her breathing-- again-- and release one hand off the purse. She reached for the glass of water in front of her, bringing it to her red lips and taking a sip.

Breathe, Ari, breathe...

b92de17de16193289d811e78fa7c81fe.jpg


coding; allrightsreserved deer deer
31efc37929ea191e8048f6a3cc25d326.jpg
Location: Heading to meet her betrothed
Mood: Highly irritated
Tags: Aato Aato
 
The camera flashed again, and Charlie turned just a bit, keeping his expression serious but also blankly disinterested. It had been one of the harder looks to master, but the camera crew and others on set for a shoot seemed to think he pulled it off fantastically. Flash, pose. Flash, pose. Every so often the designer would ask for a specific stance, or have Charlie change a piece of clothing, but this shoot went fairly well and the designer was happily crowing away after the last of the photos were taken.

"Thank you so much Ever!" The man said loudly, voice energetic and just shy of shouting. "You did phenomenal today! Amazing! Stunning! No other model would have done justice--" blah blah bluh blah. Charlie had heard it all before, and honestly just wanted to get back to the studio apartment his mother let him have and sleep or watch a movie. But, leaving immediately would be rude, so Charlie smiled and shook hands with those who wanted to and listened to the man spew meaningless praise. Charlie personally knew at least seven, maybe eight if George wasn't in a mood, other models that would have done it.

It took almost forty-five minutes for Charlie to make his escape. The designer let him keep the last outfit, accessories included, so thankfully he didn't have to change. Plus he actually kinda liked the shirt and the shoes were surprisingly comfortable. Added bonus: hat. Slinging his bag across his body, Charlie stepped out into the bustling streets of New York City and started the trek home. It was about a ten minute ride to the subway, about twenty or so on the subway, then another short fifteen to his apartment in Brooklyn.

It was during the last leg of his journey home when Charlie's phone beeped angrily at him. Barked, actually, but his mother never needed to know her text tone was a dog. He paused on the sidewalk and began digging through the pockets, pulling out the offending item as it started barking again.

Me and Carl's mother we're talking and decided it's about time to start spending time together.

Take him to a little cafe or something tonight.

Charlie sighed, watching as his mother sent another message containing just a phone number. Throwing his plans for a long nap and movie out the window, Charlie copied the number and started typing out the invitation. He knew his mother would somehow know if he didn't at least attempt to contact the guy, and honestly if he was going to be married to the man he might as well get to know how he liked his coffee.

Hey Carl. It's Charlie. Was wondering if you wanted to grab coffee with me tonight if you weren't busy. Let me know. This is the place, he texted, and attached a link to the small coffee shops webpage. Maybe he wouldn't get an answer, Charlie mused as he started walking again. Then at least his mother couldn't blame him for not trying.

His outfit: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.co...rogynous-style-tomboy-fashion-androgynous.jpg
CharlesAngel CharlesAngel
 
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Cortez jumped himself when he startled her. "Sorry! Sorry!" He mumbled as the young woman struggled to find her words. After a moment, she confirmed his suspicions and he smiled as she shook his hand. Her shake seemed a little terse, but it didn't bother him too much. He assumed she may have been nervous... or even a germophobe.

He wasn't sure what to make of their first encounter... weird? Awkward? Distant? ...Well, it was definitely short. Her father had approached and ushered her to the table and Cortez also took that as his cue to sit. He returned to his seat, now feeling a little more stiff as he sat between Angeli and Arianna. He felt this looming level of awkwardness and not knowing what to say. ...Maybe he wouldn't have to say anything right now. After-all, their parents would do most of the talking, right? Plus, they hadn't even ordered yet...

Cortez picked up a menu, holding it up in front of him on the table and focusing his gaze on it. Though, with all that was going through his mind, he wasn't even sure he was comprehending what he was reading. He also wasn't sure if he was hungry as his stomach was already filled with butterflies. Suddenly, it felt too quiet... 'Someone please break the silence...'

Hearing the doors flap, he looked over the menu to see two waiters come in, carrying drinks on a tray - what seemed to be glasses of wine and liquors - and coming to sit them in front of their respective owners.

But... He hadn't ordered... 'Mom...' She must have ordered drinks at some point when he wasn't paying attention.

Then, Angeli stood up. "I just wanted to propose a toast to celebrate the future relationship of my little brother and his wife-to-be," she announced to the table, holding up a glass of pink wine.

'Angeli...' So, she was the culprit...

The others of his family followed suit, his mother holding up a red wine while his father and uncle held up liquors. However, when Cortez looked at the wine glass in front of him, it was empty. Then, he noticed the corked bottle on the table, placed evenly between him and Arianna, with an instrument to pop the cork laying on a tray at its side. As if his sister could read his mind, she continued...

"...And a personal toast between the couple themselves with a bottle of champagne just from me to them." She smiled proudly.

The young man looked more perplexed than he should have, or perhaps he was devastated. His sister was doing too much... Then again, maybe if he got a little tipsy, this situation would be a lot easier to deal with.

"Go ahead, Tez. Pour her glass."

He looked over to notice she had an empty glass as well. Slowly, he reached for the bottle and uncorked it with the tool, immediately hearing the fizz and catching a wisp of the crisp, sweet scent and alcohol. "Do you...wanna hold it?" He asked, looking uncertainly at Arianna before he went ahead and tipped the bottle to fill her glass. He then poured his own.
______
apolla apolla
 
Arianna Jamison


Arianna was on the verge of... something. She wasn't sure whether it was an anxiety attack, or snapping on someone, or something else entirely. When she lowered the glass of water she felt a tiny bit better, but she definitely didn't feel like herself. It wasn't the fancy clothes or the stares-- again, she was used to all that. Realizing she was still clutching the glass with her perfectly manicured fingernails, she set it back down on the table and looked up.

Her husband to be had taken a seat next to her, though she didn't get the chance to study him for long before the doors leading to the kitchen opened and two waiters walked in with drinks. The twenty two year old didn't remember ordering anything, so it must have been a behind the scenes thing. If she had anything to say about it, tonight she might just end up plastered. But no drink was set in front of her, and she wrinkled her nose up in response to the waiter's now empty tray.

The other waiter came up on her other side, reaching in between the couple to be and placing down a bottle of champagne, two empty glasses, and a tool to open the bottle. She paled, realizing that the champagne was especially for them, and cast a helpless glance to Cortez that she quickly thought better of. For all she knew, he was in on this. She didn't know him.

Even with her piercings, she was still a beautiful girl. But a lot of people didn't want to get past her sort-of in-your-face personality. She toned it down a lot because of her family image, but sometimes it was hard to reel in, especially considering the current situation. To spite her parents, she'd made sure to wear their least favorite septum ring-- the black one that was extra noticeable against her somewhat pale skin.

The woman on the other side of her husband to be stood to make a toast, and she almost sank down in her seat. She looked at her parents, seeing how her father was beaming with his glass of whiskey. Her mother looked especially proud too, lifting her glass of wine. Shaking her head, she looked away, just as the standing woman instructed Cortez to pour her glass.

Awkwardly, she reached for her glass at the same time he moved the now uncorked bottle towards it, and they clinked together loudly. Wincing, she immediately pulled back, glad to see neither had broken. She moved her glass forward again, allowing him to pour a more than healthy amount of liquid into the glass before pulling away. Her eyes met his, pleading almost, as she spoke and lifted her glass to mirror everyone else.

"A toast."

b92de17de16193289d811e78fa7c81fe.jpg


coding; allrightsreserved deer deer
31efc37929ea191e8048f6a3cc25d326.jpg
Location: Heading to meet her betrothed
Mood: Highly irritated
Tags: Aato Aato
 
Rayana Mabry

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Rayana absolutely despised the whole arrangement. This was supposed to be her life, not her parents. Why did they feel the need to control every aspect of it? Even now, her mother was planning the wedding, and everything was being decided to her taste.. To her view of perfection. In Ana's own mind, a wedding was supposed to be between two people madly in love, who wanted to devote the rest of their time and life with each other, and maybe that was her naive, young thinking, but she knew this wasn't the correct way to wed. An arranged wedding for the sake of business advantages? What was this? The 18th century? The young woman wasn't even sure these things were allowed to exist anymore. Before her own arranged betrothal, she hadn't even known these things happened. They were supposed to have ended a century ago, when the world became much more "modern" and "civilized".

The young woman didn't even know who fucking Christiano was. They'd never met, and before this, they had never had a single conversation. For all she knew, they were polar opposites and would hate each other for the rest of their lives. But they would have to fake it for media. Afterall, both came from large, hugely influential families. They couldn't have their children looking unhappy in a marriage. It would be much too suspicious, and people would wonder why in the world they had gotten together in the first place. Her parents had no desire to let this dirty little secret get exposed, and for that sake, the new couple would have to fake through it. Didn't the saying go: fake it till you make it? But Rayana was going to give him one hell of a time. She was still a university student. She had just completed an internship a little while. The raven haired female wasn't even at the legal drinking age yet, but her parents were forcing her to become a bride in less than a few months? Something about that equation didn't sound right. It was like making a sacrifice, with her being the lamb to appease some God.

There were much more important things in her life that she wanted to do before getting married. In her little fairy tales, Rayana had dreamed of marrying around her thirties after taking over her family's business or creating her own, and then perhaps settling down. This was the exact opposite of what was going to happen. She'd get married even before she graduated, and then what? All her education for a waste? What if her husband wanted her to stay home and be domesticated? The female couldn't help but scoff at the word. All she knew was that he was five years older than she, and from all the stories she had heard about him in the magazines... he seemed like a scary man. Strikingly handsome, she would admit, but downright intimidating. But as her parents put it, they needed this business alliance as much as the other party did, and they wouldn't mind giving up their children for it. Born solely to serve a business transaction. That was all that mattered to her father, anyway. He had never spent any time with his child, too absorbed in the fake society of politicians (dear god please no one get offended aha) and money.

But now, as Rayana shouldered her bag with all her textbooks in it, she needed to get home and start packing. There was supposed to be some elusive vacation with her fiance, since media was starting to get cynical about never spotting them out together. Even her friends had found out about the marriage, and they had swooned over the pictures. But looks were only skin deep. Rayana was convinced this guy was an absolute douche, even if she was biased. Most of her negative feelings simply stemmed from her reluctance and strong willed nature of wanting to be independent. There was nothing the young woman hated more than have her life played like chess pieces by someone else.

Shoving out the thoughts, Rayana shouldered past people in the busy, crowded streets of New York City, the warm, bright sun shining down at the bustling location. Even in her shorts and flowy top, Rayana thought she was going to melt. How did people survive in this sort of weather? Did she even have this guy's number? Her thoughts jumped sporadically from one idea to the next. Hopefully this vacation would just pass smoothly and be over before she knew it so she could keep deluding herself into thinking she wasn't going to get married. Ignorance is bliss, is it not?

((So sorry for the wait!))


@Kumari
 
Dutch pulled the cruiser into the parking lot of the Simi Valley Public Library where it turned out another police cruiser, with officers Frank Murphy and Kay Lewis standing beside it, was already there waiting. Steve did a double take.

Wait a minute. Is graffiti really this serious?


Steve exited the cruiser. "Okay, what's the story?"

"The librarian said six teenagers with handguns spray painted the outside of the library with obscenities before fleeing around the back." Murphy, who stood at six-foot two, answered.

"Guns? Where in the hell did they get guns?"

"A lot of guns have been showing up with the serial numbers filed off; someone's been selling illegal guns in Simi Valley." Lewis, who stood at five-foot eight, answered this time.

Steve, followed by Dutch and the others, carefully and slowly walked over to the side of the library with his sidearm, the standard-issue SIG Sauer P226, drawn.

"What the hell?" Steve could not believe his eyes. Profanities like "fuck," "c--t," "shithead," "cocksucker" and "pussy" could be seen on the wall. Meanwhile, Steve heard a male voice shout "Oh, shit! It's the fuckin' cops!"

"Drop 'em." Steve muttered calmly without a hint of fear in his voice, gun trained on the gang.

"Why should I?" A blond-haired girl who appeared to be the gang's leader said arrogantly.

"I became a cop because I like to slam people's heads against walls." Dutch intoned darkly; she didn't really plan on slamming anyone's head against the wall, but it was a good scare tactic. "Do you wanna be next?"

The rest of the gang paled in fear.

"No! Please don't fuckin' kill me, man." A boy replied fearfully shortly before he and four others threw their guns down.

"Fine!" The girl rolled her eyes before throwing her gun down in defeat.

Within minutes, the unruly adolescents were in handcuffs. Not long after, they were in a holding cell at the police station and the guns were on their way to evidence. For the next seven and a half hours, the day was quiet aside from the usual business of writing up tickets and arresting drunk drivers. Steve got off from work at eighteen hundred hours and walked out of work mere minutes after. Steve got into his car, a black 1995 Ford Escort shortly before dialing the number Zeek had given him, putting his cell phone on speaker, closing his seat belt, and beginning the drive toward the apartment he shared with his two buddies from high school. He waited for the phone to ring, after which a woman said "Hello."

"Hello. This is Steve Freeling. Is An Vinh there?"

Aato Aato
 
Last edited:

Ashlynn Wynters
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Ashlynn sat in her office going over the notes she had collected from her meeting with her recent clients.Ironically they were bright eyed newly weds. It was refreshing for her to see such a happy and loving couple.

Suddenly her doorbell rang shaking interrupting her train of thought. She sighed softly and went to see who it was. Before she could even get to the her mother came gliding in with an armful of folders. She had insisted on having a key.

"Hi honey. I called you but you didn't answer.You scared me." Her mom immediately began arranging the folders on the coffee table.

"Yeah I had my phone on silent be-"

"No matter. Anyway we need to discuss the seating arrangements. Also I booked you a spa appointment for 2:00 tomorrow,"

"Actually I have to-"

"Also the makeup artist has confirmed she can completely cover up those horrendous tattoos," she said frowning at Ashlynn's thigh.

Ashlynn took a seat on the sofa a let out a small sigh. "Mom, I'm not covering my tattoos."

She felt they were what made her...her.They held meaning to her and she couldn't bare to cover that meaning. But knowing her mother she wouldn't see it that way.

Her mom stared at her shocked for a moment before recovering. "Well dear,then we'd have to pick a whole new dress to cover it and of course you'd wear your hair down-."

"Mom, calm down a few tattoos aren't going to doom my wedding day."She smiled trying to ease the tension growing in the room.

Even after a year that word was strange to say.Her parents told her that she was arranged to marry a complete stranger. At first it seemed absurd and some cruel joke. But she came to realize that it wasn't and that she was getting married whether she wanted to or not.

But over a year her and Mathew had grown to be good friends. But there was not much else there. So it was still hard to grasp that in a few weeks they'd be legally married. She was excited to take on the challenge of this new experience but also afraid of all that could go wrong.

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Watercolor-Rose-Tattoo-Design-For-Thigh-By-Myke-Clifton.jpg
 
After he had filled their glasses, Arianna had promptly proposed a toast in which he held his glass up to gently clink it against hers. He then pressed the glass to his lips, probably taking sips longer and faster than he was supposed to... With everyone else drinking, he had hoped he wasn't so noticeable, but glancing over at his mother, he had caught a stern glare. He slowly lowered his glass back to the table, almost dribbling on himself as his body and mind weren't quite synched - his body on autopilot and unready for him to pull the drink away. He cleared his throat, just to help himself rid of some of his nerves.

Angeli had taken her seat at the time that they had toasted, and with no other buzz - at least from his family - he retreated back to hiding behind the menu. Besides, this should be the part where they all ordered food, right? He was sure the waiters would be returning to take their orders shortly.

He peaked at his mother who was occupied by the menu herself before reaching for the glass again and finishing it off as if simply pouring it down his throat. However, he felt Angeli nudge him again and he mouthed 'I don't care,' to which she rolled her eyes and looked away again. He then placed the glass back on the table. Feeling a little more open, he playfully leaned over to Arianna, the menu still perched on the table in his hands to keep himself hidden, and whispered, "We should drink all of it. We'll probably have a better time." He chuckled lightly and leaned away from her with a smile before reaching to pour himself more champagne.
______
apolla apolla
 
After the meeting with her parents, An Vinh had returned to her room and resumed completing her applications. Though, she had found that task more complicated than intended as her mind continuously returned to the news she'd been giving. Eventually, she just conceded, giving in to her busy head and clicking 'save' on her applications once again. There was only one reason she ever wished she worked on an off-day, and that was to make some extra money - and she used the term 'extra' lightly - but today, she was given another. She wished to distract herself, to have too many orders and tasks to fulfill, to talk to her customers leading normal lives - anything that would pull her mind from suddenly going from casually single to futilely engaged.

This blasphemy... She had to tell someone.

Sifting through her phone, she scanned her contacts, down once, then up again, both times lingering over a particularly person's name: leste. The girls grew up as best friends that turned into a friends-with-benefits situation that eventually got An Vinh in trouble. Although they kept in touch, they had grown apart to some degree. The Vietnamese girl flip-flopped in her head how appropriate it would be to talk to the girl about her sudden engagement. No matter how much time they spent apart or didn't talk, it always felt natural and comfortable when they did... And surely she'd have to tell her, anyway. After-all, she was going to invite her to the wedding, right? 'Wow.' That still felt weird to say...

With a deep sigh she decided to make the call. She listened to the phone ring before she heard the all too familiar voice pick up. "Vinh? Hey..." Just hearing the other girl's voice made her smile.

The two friends spoke for a couple of hours and it actually made An Vinh feel a lot better about the situation. leste assured her that she had her full support through everything. And although she found it a little annoying, it was kinda cute how excited the other young woman on the line was about being the maid of honor. She sighed, this time in a sort of relief as she left her room.

Feeling like the resident bum around the house for the most part, An Vinh usually took it upon herself to cook dinner if she didn't smell anything looming in the air by late evening. She trotted down the stairs and into the kitchen, tying her chocolate hair back in the process. She then began searching the refrigerator for ingredients, winging it on the meals 80% of the time.

It was during the process of cooking that she heard her phone ring. She hiked a confused eyebrow and swiftly rinsed her hands before drying them and slipping her phone from her pocket. She didn't recognize the number, but something made her answer it anyway. Occasionally, she was curious enough... It'd probably be a telemarketer or scam call anyway, something she could hang up from quickly. "Hello?"

"Hello. This is Steve Freeling. Is An Vinh there?"

'Steve?'
She thought. 'Steve...?' Her eyes suddenly widened as her mother's words from earlier came back to her. "Y-yes... This is, uh, An Vinh." It wasn't so much that she was nervous as she was caught off-guard. "H-how are you?" She didn't know what to say to this man... All she knew was his name and she barely remembered that much. She wondered how long he had known, how he felt about it, what he would expect of her...
______
Steve Freeling Steve Freeling
 
"Okay, I guess. I mean, it's not every day your dad tells you that thanks to your mom, you've been unknowingly engaged for seven years and then gives you a girl's number - at work. Hell, I still don't know how to feel about it." Steve honestly didn't. "How are you holding up?"

Aato Aato
 
'I've tripped every piece of shit I've got.' But of course she wouldn't say that. "Um... Well, my mom told me today... It was overwhelming. I've never been that person who needed a relationship. But, um... My parents they..." She let her voice trail. She wasn't going to get into that right now. "They thought I needed help." That was a simple enough way to put it. "I guess I'm okay now. I kinda got over the initial shock, but it hits me at random sometimes." She chuckled and leaned back against the counter as she settled in place with the phone pressed against her ear. It wasn't necessarily that she was expecting to be on the phone a while, but it was instinct. Admittedly, hearing his voice excited her. It made her mind wander, wondering what he looked like, but she was sure she'd find out soon enough.
______
Steve Freeling Steve Freeling
 
(I didn't get any notifications sorry for the late reply)
Carl worked early mornings as a cashier of a small flower shop in New York City. His shift that morning wasn't too long and he usually enjoyed his job, as he got to learn more about his favorite kind of plants. He was also allowed to take some home if they didn't sell within the week. However, a good day could easily turn around when a customer would ask him if he was the real Carl Brady? So he hurried out of there when his shift was over and hadn't moved from his couch since.
The dark curtains in Carl's small one bedroom apartment made him think it was much later than it was. He had a blanket curled around him while he absentmindly flipped through channels. He finally settled on some 80s movie he saw when he was a kid. His phone was plugged in across the room and he groaned when he heard it vibrate. He knew it was more than likely his mother, so he moved over to the window and answered his phone with his usual "what is it?" His mother then lectured him about spending time with Charlie in the public eye, most of which Carl didn't listen to. Carl finally got the idea and hung up on her. Almost immediately after, he received a message from Charlie about getting coffee that night. It was only after opening his curtains that Carl realized it was still daylight. He knew at some point he would have to get to know the guy he would be married to in the near future. He decided to unplug his phone and responded, "Hey Charlie, I'm not really busy I'll see you there, how does 5:30 sound?" Carl responded. He didn't want to show up in pajamas for the sake of Charlie's reputation, but he almost considered it out of spite and laziness. He decided against it however and decided to shower and change out of his work clothes for the first time since that morning.
 
The door had just shut behind Charlie when his phone beeped, the generic ringtone for unknown numbers. He sighed and thought about just not answering, but that would be rude to Carl if nothing else. The other man was in this mess just as much as he was. Tossing his hat onto a side table and digging out his phone, Charlie flopped down onto his couch and read the message. Another sigh escaped him, the tiny hope that maybe it hadn't been Carl responding squished into nothing, and Charlie replied with a quick, Yeah, sounds great. See you then.

Throwing the phone onto the coffee table Charlie closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. His fingers caught on some tangles from product, and after a few painful and unsuccessful tugs to finger brush them out Charlie gave up and figured a shower was in order. The least he could do was look decent for the guy.

A while later Charlie was back on the streets of New York, freshly showered and dressed and walking to the coffee shop a little early. He wasn't wearing anything super fancy or fashionable at all, just a plain pair of dark jeans and a light purple tee shirt with black converses on and carrying a black canvas bag. His hair was tied halfway back how he liked it the most, and he resisted the nervous tick to run his hand through it again. He didn't know anything about Carl besides what his mother had said, but she lied about people all the time and he didn't take her word for anything. For all he knew Carl could be a stuck up kid or a complete asshat. Hopefully not. Thankfully, before he could rile himself up too much, Charlie got to the coffee shop. He ordered his drink and took it to a small, secluded table in the back corner. As he sat on the cushioned chair, Charlie checked the time and took a sip of his coffee. It was almost 5:30.

CharlesAngel CharlesAngel
 
Arianna Jamison


Arianna forced a smile as the others at the table raised their glasses in response to her toast, and she allowed her betrothed to clink their classes together lightly before bringing the fizzy champagne to her lips and tilting the glass back, drinking deeply. Sitting to her left was her mother, who nudged her in her ribs, almost causing her to choke. Taking the glass away from her lips, she set it back on the table, which earned her a nod of approval.

Disguising a scoff with a cough, she turned away and picked up her menu. Her mother went back to talking to someone on her other side, and Ari sighed, studying but not really reading the words in front of her. It didn't matter what she ate anyway, most likely she wouldn't be able to keep it down, not with how her stomach felt right now.

She was so focused on trying to pick something though that she didn't notice as Cortez leaned over towards her, hiding behind his menu. He spoke and she jumped, her head whipping around so she could look at him. She stared at him for probably a moment more than was polite, before the corner of her lip twisted up in a half smile. Before she could respond he was leaning back away from her, and reaching for the champagne. She considered for a moment, before grabbing her glass and downing what was left in it. She held out her glass towards him, a full yet still slightly small smile present on her lips.

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coding; allrightsreserved deer deer
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Location: At the restaurant
Mood: Highly irritated; Anxious
Tags: Aato Aato
 
Carl towel dried his light hair, still leaving it a bit messy as he got dressed. He wasn't wearing pajamas, but he wasn't dressing up either, a dark tee shirt and light jeans were good enough for his first date look. He combed through his hair and stood for a while in front of the mirror considering canceling. He didn't know how to behave on a date with a model, considering he wasn't really the dating type. He hoped the two of them together wouldn't draw too much attention from anyone for both of their sakes. He opened his window to let some light in and moved his plant closer to the window. He watered the plant with a water bottle before grabbing a light jacket and leaving the apartment.
The streets were somewhat crowded with people getting off of work and Carl realized 5:30 was probably a bad idea. He was hoping to arrive early so he could plan what he was going to say beforehand, but he had no such luck when he walked in the coffee shop at 5:30 exactly. He looked over and quickly noticed the model in the corner and cursed under his breath. He hoped Charlie wouldn't notice him while he planned what he wanted to say. He ordered his coffee and tried to appear nonchalant as he grabbed the cup and headed over to sit across from the man. He didn't exactly know how to start so he spoke off the top of his head.
"Sorry I was late, I had to water my plants," Carl said and immediately regretted it. He could've come up with any excuse, traffic, work, not wanting to be there, but no he had to say he was watering plants.
 
After pouring himself another glass, Cortez noticed Arianna hold her glass up closer to the bottle and glanced up at her, reciprocating the small smile she had. He poured the golden liquid into her glass, filling it far past the usual point before he sat the bottle down again. Reaching for his glass, he couldn't help a little bit of the contents splashing over the side. Though, he didn't mind this and it only brought an eager smile to his face. He was only on his second glass and still felt better than he did when they first got here. Although, it was only wine, he still intended to down half the bottle - it wasn't like he'd get trashed, but tipsy, even a little drunk, was good enough.

Angeli looked over at him and rolled her eyes again, and her brother only took a longer sip before sitting the glass down again, already a third gone. Now, his focus returned to the menu, but he felt stressed again when he saw the waiter come back through the door. He leaned over to his sister. "Li-Li, pick something for me..."

She hiked an eyebrow, catching the strong scent of alcohol on her brother's breath. "If you hadn't spent so much time guzzling champagne, maybe you would know what you want to eat. Why don't you ask your wife?"

"Stop it..." He grumbled, his tone a bit more serious. This didn't phase the young woman, though. She only smirked. "C'mon, Angeli."

"You don't need to drink. You get whiny." She looked back at her menu and sighed. "Fine. I'll order for you."

"Awww, thank you, big sissy." He placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned over to peck her cheek.

"Lightweight," she muttered under her breath with a shake of her head, though the endearing smile on her face was unmistakable.

The waiter went around the table taking orders, which went more quickly than expected and he was leaving as soon as he had appeared.

"So," Yucca started a little loudly to get the attention of the table, "I hope everyone's enjoying themselves so far. It's great to be able to get the families together, especially since we will be family in five months." She smiled. "You are getting things together for the house, right, Tez?" She looked to her soon, then nodded toward Arianna's parents, signaling for him to give them more eye contact as he answered.

Cortez's attention was pulled from his thoughts of the waiter to the sound of his mother's voice. "Oh. Um... Y-yes. Angeli and I," he glanced between her and Arianna's parents, "made arrangements for me to keep the apartment... For now, of course. I mean, we can always move into a house later if, uh, Arianna wants to or we could stay... I mean, it'd be up to her..." He almost said more, but let his voice trail and picked up his glass to take another sip, making sure he hushed himself. He was caught off-guard by the question and didn't want to nervously ramble his way into a hole trying to make sure he said the right thing.
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apolla apolla
 
"I hear you. I'm more bewildered by this whole thing than anything else." Steve had to admit that he was curious to meet this mystery woman, which prompted a shift in topic. "Would you like to go to a bar, have a couple drinks, talk about some things?"

Aato Aato
 
Arianna Jamison


Arianna's eyes widened as he filled the glass almost to the brim. She cast a hurried glance at her mom, who was still too busy talking to notice. But just to be on the safe side, she brought the glass to her lips and downed a quarter of it. Yes, getting drunk sounded like the perfect way to deal with this situation. Just as she lowered the glass, the waiters and waitresses came in to take everyone's order. Forgetting about the champagne for now, she picked up her menu and ordered when they came around to her.

The alcohol was definitely helping.

Someone else stood up after the waiter left, and instinctively Ari reached for her glass again, needing some liquid comfort. She was drinking deeply, so deeply that she almost missed what the woman-- assumedly her finance's mother-- said. But unfortunately she didn't; the words rang crystal clear in her mind. She choked, nearly spitting champagne at the unlucky person across from her. Her mother immediately turned and slapped her back, causing Arianna to cough more.

"Five months?" She asked, her voice choked and more squeaky than she meant it to. "Are you freaking kidding me?" She turned towards her mother, narrowing her eyes. "Is there something you forgot to tell me, mother?"

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coding; allrightsreserved deer deer
31efc37929ea191e8048f6a3cc25d326.jpg
Location: At the restaurant
Mood: Highly irritated; Anxious
Tags: Aato Aato
 
Out of instinct, An Vinh nodded as he spoke, but made a "Mm," in response as the fact that he couldn't see her gestures came back to her. Then, he unexpectedly invited her to a bar and the young woman froze for a moment, unsure of how to respond. She looked to her side at the dishes on the hot stove. She was cooking; she couldn't just leave... or could she? Maybe she'd just invite him over for dinner. Then again, after today, she could use a drink...

Making her decision in a split second, she reached to turn off the stove top then adjusted the phone to balance between her shoulder and ear so her hands could continue work. "Alright, Mr. F. You got yourself a deal." She might as well meet him sooner than later. "Just let me know which bar and I'll, uh, see you soon."
______
Steve Freeling Steve Freeling
 

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