Realistic or Modern City Living

[BurningBridges]

"Shut the fuck up, Collin!" Cara was laughing as she punched her brother in the arm. She was drunk. There was no way or need to describe it as anything other than being drunk. It wasn't a bad drunk though. Cara definitely had the capability of being a bad drunk. She could be the emotional drunk who sobbed about things that happened 15 years ago, or the angry drunk that attempted to smash the windows in of any cab that honked its horn within a fifty foot vicinity of her. Thankfully for everyone, Cara was just drunk. Happy drunk. Giggly and a sassy, but in a good mood. "If I had ten dollars for every time you were a dumb bitch, I would be a millionaire!" she added, punching him again.

"If you ever finish college, you'll be one without my help." Collin and Cara both had trust funds waiting for them after graduation. Collin didn't know how much they were worth, but he was secretly convinced that Cara's was twice his size since he was sure their dad doubted her ability to survive on her own. He wasn't upset over it, though that was probably partially because he knew how horrible it would be to be upset over the size of a trust fund. Collin was privileged, and because of his upbringing, there were a lot of realities that he would never understand, no matter how down to earth he tried to be. However, he wasn't delusional or materialistic, and while the idea of knowing that you were set for like was obviously comforting, it was somehow playing into the discomfort he had been feeling recently. Everything in his life had always been so planned out and comfortable. His childhood revolved around the same schedule of extra curricular activities, dinner being ready at six o'clock on the dot every day, a scheduled bed time with nannies there to make sure he was in bed and settled, and then the same thing the next day. No one would ever ask for uncertainty in the form of wondering where their next meal would come from, or where they were going to sleep the next night, but part of Collin craved some sort of uncertainty.

He often wondered if he should just disappear. Get on the first flight leaving New York, no matter where it was going, and just figure it out. At the end of the day though, he knew that he didn't have it in him to just go off the rails and snap his credit cards in half and burn whatever cash was on him. If he ran away like that, there wouldn't be the uncertainty that he (possibly ignorantly) craved. It would be an adventure for him, but it would be a vacation. One that always had a safety net below.

At the end of the day though, not everyone was Chris McCandless. Not everyone needed to jump into a completely new life to reinvent themselves. There were infinite ways to reinvent one's self, and any of them would be a good starting point for Collin.

"Shut upppppppppp. Everything with you people is college this, college that. How about, who gives a fuck? Let me live my life in peace." She still wasn't angry, but this time the Uber driver's eyes flickered back towards them through the rear-view mirror at the sound of her fist hitting his arm again. Had Cara caught that, she was definitely belligerent enough to ask him why he wasn't taught to mind his own business as a child, and that if he took his eyes off the road again while there was precious cargo on board, she would be forced to report him to some made up bureau.

"What do you think mom would think of us if she was here?" The question was random, but sincere, as it wasn't meant as a passive insult meant to force Cara to reevaluate how obnoxious she was being. She was definitely being obnoxious, but Collin knew that she wasn't being an ass willfully. They had just finished brunch with some family friends, and any time that Cara seemed to drink with her old friends, they all always ended up way too drunk. In that sense, Collin was jealous of his sister. She had so many friends, even when they were children. She was always popular and people enjoyed being around her. They didn't know the Cara that he knew, of course, but regardless, people enjoyed her company. Even now when she had disconnected from a lot of people that she used to hang out with regularly, she still seemed to have so many people to call when she did want someone to hang out with. Collin had never been friendless, but he certainly struggled more to make good, solid friendships. He was quieter in nature, had been bullied for a period of time as a child, and just didn't desire such a big social circle. He could see how it would be nice, though.

"She would probably hate you for liking the woman who replaced her, but I guess you'll have to wait to ask her that yourself." That was something that Cara would stand by even when she was sober. Not the part about their mom hating Collin, but the part about her hating the woman who replaced her. It was no secret that Cara disliked her stepmother for her own reason, but she truly did think that her father remarrying, even if it was years after her mother's death, was simply disrespectful. It wasn't like he had remarried after a divorce. Their love was supposed to be eternal. That was what love was supposed to be. Cara didn't think that you could have two true loves, and she certainly didn't think that your true love could be thirty years younger than you. Her dad was a whore for remarrying. A disrespectful whore, and her mother deserved better.

Collin could have argued that that wasn't what he meant, and that he was trying to be serious, but he knew his efforts would have been futile. If he was seeking reassurance that his mother wouldn't think he was a complete failure with nothing to show for his life, Cara definitely wasn't the person to turn to when she was sober, nonetheless drunk.

Before long they were climbing up to the fifth floor of their building. By now, Collin was used to the walk-up but admittedly, it had been an adjustment at first given their childhood home. It wasn't a bad place to live by any means, but it didn't compare to what they were used to.

He was about to open his mouth to whisper to Cara that it looked like someone new was moving in, when his sister beat him to it.

"Oh thank god, they're finally kicking those two deadbeats out," she exclaimed, as she noticed a girl and her stuff standing outside of Roman and Nick's apartment with the door open. She could only assume that she was replacing them in their apartment, and though internally she was much more genuinely curious (maybe even a bit concerned), she had no problem putting on a show of approval, especially now that she was drunk. "You're going to want to disinfect every surface in that place," she said to the girl as she passed by. "And make sure you wear gloves. HIV positive needles all over, I'm sure."

"She's joking," Collin added quickly, offering Cara a quick "what the fuck?" look, before glancing back at this new girl. Since Chanel was way too out of his league, maybe this neighbor would be a better chase for him, he supposed. "Do you need help bringing your stuff in? Moving alone sucks," he offered.
​

 

[A_Writer]

"No, they don't want to just help you feel better. They want to ask you things that will make you feel worse and then give you medicine that you don't want to take until you die." The mere question had Holly scowling, as she added, "And I have a boy doctor and I don't like boys." Understandably, Holly was far less likely to open up to a male than she would have been a female. Her current psychiatrist was an old man, probably sixty-five or seventy years old, who was likely nearing retirement. He was the only doctor on their insurance plan currently available to see her after school hours and in their area, so it was a take what you can get scenario. Holly didn't understand that she was lucky to be able to see anyone for free, given how expensive specialists could be, but even if she recognized that, it wouldn't have changed the fact that she didn't like the man. He wasn't empathetic or compassionate, and he wasn't patient. He was the kind of doctor that assumed that medication could fix everything, and in Holly's situation, that certainly wasn't the case. In his defense, Holly's unwillingness to work with him didn't make his job any easier, but still, one would have hoped that he would have been a bit more prepared for someone like her given his career choice.

"Makayla doesn't like it when I help when she's making food," Holly said, as she sat down at the kitchen table. She had already stuffed two handfuls of mini M&Ms into her mouth, and she wasn't planning on stopping. Her retreat to the table was mostly done out of tiredness, and her in-and-out interest in actually being active today. Baking was fun, but Holly also associated it with the many times that she messed up when trying to help Makayla. She had baked with Chanel and Cara before, and they were much gentler towards any mistakes that she made, and she was sure Ruby would be as well. However, for the moment, sitting, talking, and eating M&Ms and having someone else bake for her seemed just as preferable.
​

 

[lauren.]

"Well, I'm a doctor, you know," she offered, glancing over her shoulder at Holly, "And I'm not a boy, and I don't think that medicine fixes everything. We're not all bad." Ruby wasn't necessarily sure why she wanted Holly to feel comfortable around her. She wanted it for the obvious reasons, of course -- no one wanted their roommate to feel cold towards them. However, Holly had never been cold towards her. She had always been the opposite. It was more of fascination that made Ruby want to know what went on in this girl's head behind all of the chaotic conversations she verbalized. Holly seemed so different, and her situation made her all the more different. She was a cute teenager who was apparently dyslexic, but that wasn't so significantly unique. There was clearly more to her, and the altercation earlier in the week involving her and Makayla had only heightened her curiosity. It was possible that the perfectionist in Ruby wanting to know what Holly's deal was because she wanted to fix her. It wasn't something that she would ever verbalize because she knew that people didn't need to be "fixed", and it was something that she would actively and internally scold herself for even thinking about when she could tell her mind was going down that path. People weren't machines or math equations. There wasn't a solve-all fix or answer for their problems and while that was what made the human condition and existence so interesting, it was also what made it so complicated.

"Do you and Makayla get along most of the time? I don't have a sister. What's it like?" If overheard by someone, it could possibly sound like Ruby was discretely trying to pry for information, and she was, but she couldn't be blamed. At the end of the day, Ruby had made a hard decision the other day by not intervening more than she had during the altercation she had walked in on. She hadn't pressed for more information from Makayla or Holly in the following days, and she let it die down. She didn't have to do that, though. While she was just a roommate to the girls, she had an obligation as a licensed professional to speak up if she thought that something wasn't right, and she had chanced it by not doing it there. While Makayla had dedicated a large portion of her life towards caring for Holly, Ruby didn't know that. She didn't know about the sacrifices that Makayla had made to ensure that Holly was taken care of by someone she knew and loved. She could only work with the information that she had, so she wasn't the nosy villain that she probably seemed to be by those who knew more than she did.​

 

[Ari]

Delaney Suarez

Overview

Name:	Delaney Suarez
Age:	22
Birthday:	June 1st
Sexual Orientation:	Heterosexual
Hometown:	Dallas, Texas

Delaney knew that she wasn't only going to be living with Nick, and she was cool with that, but the guy who answered the door certainly didn't make the best first impression. She wasn't one to be bothered easily, but she was still aware enough to notice how unwelcoming he seemed. If this was how he was when trying to make a first impression, then she could only really imagine how he was when he was on an average day. At the very least though, he grabbed some of her stuff without being prompted to, and that was nice. Everyone was different, she reminded herself as she took a step to follow him inside. "I am, indeed," she smiled, ensuring an extra-chipper tone as a way to overcompensate for his lack thereof.

She didn't get more than a step inside before two blondes approached from the stairwell. As one could only imagine, her facial expression immediately turned to one of a mixture of confusion and cautious surprise at the female's biting words. The male beside her jumped in to insist that she was joking, and offer his help, but it surely didn't sound like she was joking.

Delaney knew Nick, but not like that. The HIV thing was an inappropriate comment, and one that was none of Delaney's business or concern, but the way she described him and his roommate was cold enough for her to assume that there was bad blood there. The girl looked normal, if not affluent, which (likely due to the superficial and stereotypical ideals drilled into the heads of... everyone) made her opinion seem valid to some extent, and that was worrying.

"Oh, um, sure. That would be great," she answered, still visibly taken aback, though her friendly-by-nature side made it impossible for her to want to refuse an offer of assistance or socialization. It seemed like they would be her new neighbors, and if they could offer her insight on what she was getting herself into... why not? She glanced back inside the apartment to where Roman was walking to, before grabbing a box of things and smiling at the blonde. "I'm Delaney. Do you guys live on this floor, too?" she asked, waiting for him to grab a box before heading inside the apartment. While Delaney had felt like this was going to be a great "fresh start" just a few minutes ago, her stomach had that weird "I fucked up" feeling in it.
[/FONT]

 

[BurningBridges]

Of course Cara had to ruin any sort of friendliness that Collin was trying to offer. He really didn't know what was wrong with his sister. He didn't know why she thought that the things that came out of her mouth were acceptable, and better yet, how she had went so long in life acting like this without having her teeth knocked out.

When Cara kept walking, seemingly dismissing the girl's response as being unimportant, Collin felt a momentarily bout of relief. "Yeah, so that was actually my sister," he explained apologetically. "She's... um... she's not usually like that. I mean, she is usually like that, but she's drunk today so it's worse, and she has a weird history with Nick, who lives here, so that's why she said that stuff, but yeah, just don't even pay her any mind. We live right across the hall with another girl, Brooklyn, who actually dated Nick but then... I mean, it doesn't even matter. To answer the question, yes, we live on the floor, and I'm Collin." He grabbed a container, opting for one of the heavier ones, because he needed to make up for that stupidity.

Jesus Christ, what is wrong with me?

Maybe he didn't seem as weird out loud as he felt he did, but it was no secret that Collin had a tendency to get nervous around girls. He didn't really have much of a reason to be nervous, because compared to a lot of guys, he had a lot of good things going for him. He was an attractive kid who was smart, kind, and to a lot of people in the most important regard, he had a lot of money. Girls just made him panic though. He became extra awkward around them, and alcohol and time seemed like the only things that actually helped.

"Oh, hey man," he said as they entered the bedroom that was apparently Delaney's, given the empty nature of it. Roman was standing inside, presumably having just set down one of the containers sitting against the wall. Collin barely knew Roman, which was probably an odd statement given that Collin's dad had essentially paid for Roman to go on vacation a couple of months ago. They had taken two flights together, shared a hotel room, and had multiple sit down meals together, but Collin honestly had no idea how many words he had even actually said to the guy. They were both quiet by nature (although Collin was definitely more approachable and warm than Roman), and neither felt the word to fill any void with small talk. Collin had no interest in getting to know Roman, simply because he recognized from the little that he did know, that they were nothing alike. "I guess you got the rest of this," he said, feeling like he was possibly imposing on the move in process, since he assumed that Roman and Delaney were friends since they were about to live together. Hell, for all he knew, Delaney was Roman's girlfriend or something.​

 

[A_Writer]

"You should wish that you have a sister because having a sister is the best," Holly declared in a matter-of-fact tone. "Me and Makayla are best friends and one time we chased butterflies in the park but Makayla didn't really want to chase them. She said butterflies don't like that and you shouldn't try to scare them and if you stand still and don't bother them and be quiet maybe they'll come find you because things in nature understand your energy," she explained, though Makayla likely hadn't actually described it exactly like that. Holly absorbed some things, with little reason behind what she chose to absorb and not absorb. In reality, Holly obviously loved having Makayla as a sister for more ways than she could even express. There was no telling where Holly would be without her.

"And Makayla likes things being quiet and peaceful. I told her that I'm going to start a Youtube channel and she said not until I get my own house," she continued before shoving a fist full of M&M's into her mouth. "She thinks that there are spirits and energy in the world that control things, and she likes cookie dough ice cream in case you were wondering. With chocolate syrup, and not whipped cream, and not rainbow sprinkles, and not gummy bears, but actually I'm not sure about gummy bears because we don't go to ice cream shops a lot and she doesn't like buying candy."

"Did you know that Chanel doesn't have a sister either? If you want, I can ask her if she wants to be your sister so you're not lonely. I would be lonely if I didn't have a sister and that's why I can't let you be Makayla's other sister because she already has me to be her sister."

"I wish Brooklyn was here," she continued, and it was no coincidence that Brooklyn was on her mind when she was thinking about sisters. Her fascination for the mean blonde was bizarre given the way that Brooklyn acted towards her most of the time, but Holly was obsessed with her nonetheless. "Wanna go see her? I really wish--" She was cut off by the sound of the buzzer going off, and out of instinct, she popped up out of her seat and ran over to the buzzer, clicking the unlock button. She obviously had no idea who was trying to get into the building, but she liked pushing buttons, and that meant that there was a guest coming up! Who could it be?!

"What if it's Justin Bieber?!" she exclaimed, running back to Ruby. "Coming to bring us stuffed animals?!" Somehow that seemed like a completely plausible scenario, so much so, that she was nearly bouncing with excitement. "Let's wait for him in the hall!"

 

[cure]

Roman wasn't far enough way that he couldn't hear someone exclaiming from the hallway, but he wasn't close enough (or sober enough, for that matter), that he could make out what was being said. Had he been more present, he would have known it was Cara running her mouth, and in a way he did because in in the back of his mind the voice sounded familiar, but he wasn't there enough for everything to click. It was something in the back of his mind, something non-consequential and barely registered as he made his way to Delaney's room, assuming she was still behind him, though not turning around or continuing the conversation to confirm that assumption. Roman didn't now how he felt about having a roommate. Though, if he had to choose, like most things he would likely err on the side of neutral negative. He didn't really feel one way or another, especially since he didn't know her that well and hadn't done anything in the past 10 seconds that would have caused him to dislike her, but he was also relatively change averse. He had always been that way and only liked change when he was the one issuing and controlling it. As he placed the container in the corner of the room, it finally came across to him that he really had no idea who this girl was. Not that Roman would have cared enough to pester Nick about it, he wasn't at all aware how she knew him. Hell, he didn't even know her name.

It was only for a split second, when he stood and didn't immediately see Delaney that he began to wonder where she was, but she appeared before he could even finish the thought. More surprisingly, though Roman was still too stone faced for that to register anywhere on his face, was who came in after her. Roman didn't know anything about Collin except for his name, who his sister was, and where he lived. If he was to be completely objective, then he couldn't reasonably say anything too negative about him, but Roman also didn't have anything good to say about him either. Him showing up in his apartment out of nowhere, and greeting him so casually was enough to for Roman's gaze to harden as the boy placed what he was carrying on the ground. "Get out," Roman said, his words overlapping with Collin's. His tone and blunt response would have any reasonable stranger thinking there was some serious bad blood between, and it was likely that Roman's reaction would even be a bit jarring to Collin too despite knowing Roman wasn't renowned for being the most welcoming person. Roman was completely unaware of what a poor impression he was making on his new roommate because he simply didn't care. He didn't like his space being invaded, and he didn't particularly like Collin. Seeing the guy, though, was the missing connection he needed just a moment ago to confirm why what he heard sounded familiar. And though, by God's grace, he didn't see or hear her anywhere in sight, as he passed Collin and exited the room, he coolly told him, "And keep your crazy ass sister in check."​

 

[Bandit_]

The silliness and the playful, fun, and carefree vibes that Chanel exuded were so nice. Makayla admired that about her. She had such a fiery spirit in her, and yet she wore all of those colors and that energy in the best way. She gave off such a positive energy that it was hard to not at least smile at most of the words that came out of her mouth. While some of them made Makayla want to shake her head, simply because they were that playfully outlandish at times, she really enjoyed Chanel's personality. It was a good reminder of how life was supposed to be, because Chanel seemed like a good example of a normal person overall, and sometimes Makayla needed that comparison to put things in perspective. Makayla would never dismiss Chanel's problems as being ones of an easy life, but she lived a normal life as far as Makayla could tell. She had a family, friends, was focusing on age-related problems like school, relationships, etc. She carried just enough responsibility to make her humble, but not enough to suffocate her with the weight of the world.

After a few giggles at Chanel's antics and a quick shake of her head to reassure her that she was speaking at an appropriate volume, she flipped Nick off. "First of all, I'm not a hermit. I have like one hour of peace and quiet to myself per day. If I could go out and drink all night and be high 24/7, I would," she offered lightly, though it was meant seriously because it was the absolute truth. "Secondly, I've seen the way Brooklyn can go in on girls at work, and let me just tell you, for a white girl, she can fight, which means that symmetry or not, this boy is not worth even a one night stand out of either of us," she advised Chanel playfully, paying no mind to the fact that Nick was sitting right there since she was half-joking. She assumed Chanel was joking about her infatuation with Nick anyway, so she was only playing along with that vibe. In truth, thinking back on it, it was shocking that Brooklyn hadn't jumped Cara after that whole thing. It really made Makayla wonder why...? Brooklyn definitely had a ton of money - Makayla knew that from hearing how much those girls made at night. She couldn't have put up with Cara sleeping with her boyfriend simply because she needed a place to stay. As crazy as it sounded, Makayla had actually considered that maybe Brooklyn was wanted for something by the law. Maybe she couldn't sign a lease or get a job that was on the books for that reason. It sounded crazy, but so did the idea of living in the same apartment as someone who slept with your longtime boyfriend. "And side note - given that, I'd be shocked if you even walked out of that shit-show with a dick still in tact. She didn't cut that thing off after you told her where it'd been?" she inquired cheekily.

She took another hit of the joint, high enough now to not even notice the sound of the apartment's doorbell buzzer going off, nonetheless piece it together as likely being their food delivery. "I wouldn't blame her if she did either. For real though, why does she still live over there?" she asked Nick, before looking to Chanel. "Would you ever be able to live in the same apartment as that girl? And then on top of that, live in the same apartment after you found out that she slept with your man?" She shook her head at the mere thought of it, before offering what was almost a knowing smile as she added, "No offense or anything. I know she's your friend."​

 

[Ari]

Delaney Suarez

Overview

Name:	Delaney Suarez
Age:	22
Birthday:	June 1st
Sexual Orientation:	Heterosexual
Hometown:	Dallas, Texas

Delaney chuckled at Collin's mini ramble, and had her arms not been full, she would have glanced back at him to confirm whether his expression reflected how flustered he sounded. He seemed like a sweet guy. Anyone offering to help seemed sweet in itself, but the way that he tried to backtrack for his sister, essentially apologizing without going that far, made him seem like the more normal of the two. She felt a bit hesitant upon hearing that anyone had bad blood with Nick, since he was who Delaney "trusted" in the mix of all of this, and the person she would be living with.

When she thought of Nick, she didn't think of him as being a drug dealer like the kind you saw on television. He was kind of sketchy, now that she thought about it, but she didn't picture him as being the type to be involved in beef with anyone. The last thing that she needed was their apartment being raided or shot up or something. Having beef with a human Barbie doll wasn't necessarily intimidating, but still, Delaney was the type of person who enjoyed positive energy, and she didn't want to be inadvertently dragged into any drama.

Oddly, it was nearly where she found herself as she headed into what would be her new room, and was met with Roman telling Collin to get out. It was so cold and dry that she had to look between the two of them a few times to see if maybe there was some sort off sarcastic or playful nature between the two of them that she wasn't picking up on.

"My room, my rules," she declared with a confident smile, feeling more unsure about what the hell was going on than she let off. "And I'd like him to stay and help me." Maybe it was the way that Collin had been rambling that had left her feeling like he was vulnerable or needed to be protected, but for some reason, she felt like she couldn't let her new roommate be so cold to him... even if it probably wasn't the best idea in terms of having a peaceful living situation for herself. She had no idea what kind of beef there was here, and here she, sticking herself in the middle of it. It wasn't done to be bold or anything of that nature, though. Delaney just had a weird feeling that Collin wasn't being treated right, and she wasn't comfortable with that happening to even a stranger.

 

[lauren.]

Cara enjoyed being obnoxious, but if Delaney wasn't going to give her anything to work with, then what was the point? After only a few more seconds of eyeing the girl, Cara decided that she was no longer interested in whatever was going on there, and continued towards her own apartment. She didn't even notice that Collin remained over there, talking to her and then actually heading into the apartment, because she was too consumed with searching for her keys (that she didn't realize she had left inside of her apartment) in her bag.

Would anyone expect anything less from Cara than to momentarily consider the possibility that this new girl might have pick pocketed her, somehow, in the two seconds she was standing across from her? It seemed highly likely to her, especially drunk, that Roman had probably hired this girl as a rouse to somehow rob them. Rather than do the logical thing, and turning around and finding Collin across the hall to ask him to use his set of keys to open the door, Cara instead opted to bang on the door with her fist. She had no idea whether Brooklyn was home or not, and she wasn't even trying to get Brooklyn's attention. Instead, she was just being drunk and stupid, and since the door couldn't be opened with her non-existent keys, she figured that slamming her fist into it would somehow make things better.

 

[cure]

Delaney opening her mouth reminded Roman of the exact reason why he didn't like change and why he didn't like sharing. But, as far as he was concerned, this was still his place. He didn't know who she thought she was placing herself where she wasn't concerned (even though she was quite literally in her own space), but he wasn't going to tolerate it. It didn't take much to irritate Roman, as was evident within the initial moments of interacting with him, but it did take much more to actually anger or get under his skin while his guard was up. It was why Brooklyn could be more easily get a rise out of him because he was far more relaxed and organic around her. The fact that Delaney almost made Roman stop in his tracks to address her spoke to how good she already was at annoying him, though all of this was really on Roman. He never tried to go out of his way to be a bother or to instigate, unlike Brooklyn or Cara for instance, but a lot times he welcomed it with his negative attitude in the sense that he just as well never went out of his way to not be a bother either. As far as he was concerned, though, these two had brought it onto themselves and he was responding however he so chose. Typically if he wasn't in his own space, he could have easily ignored Collin, and even Delaney, but being that this was his place, he felt it necessary to reaffirm that, which in itself was annoying for him. "And help your whore find a new place to stay on the way out."

Even that was a bit uncharacteristic of Roman, but he wasn't in the mood, and he wasn't sober which only exemplified things. Roman was known for having a sharp, tongue with biting words and a cool personality to match, but what was perhaps far less obvious was the fact that he did try to execute some level of tact. He wasn't just quiet because he couldn't be bothered to converse but also because he didn't feel the need, in most cases, to entertain every little thing that presented itself. He either had to be in the mood or be so provoked. Or, like now, he had to be high or inebriated. But, as with most recreational substances, whether it was alcohol or coke, filters were virtually fictitious. It was no question that people's personalities were altered under any influence, but the fact that Roman was actually trying to execute some level of restraint on top of his present behavior begged the question of what things looked like when he was really past the point of no return. Here he was trying to actually relax and forget all the shit going on around him and then these two idiots come. Where the hell was Nick anyway? He pulled his phone out of his pocket as he went to the open door, only heading that way instead of immediately to his room to ensure the other two got the hell out. It was then that he saw the text from Nick, though it was obviously too little to late, and wouldn't have been of much help to abide Roman's attitude.

To: Nick
come get this skank

Before he got to the door he could hear the belligerent banging from the hallway. He had heard Cara earlier, but had no reason to assume that the banging was still her, so when he did finally get to the doorway, he was surprised, if not a little amused, to see her. The amusement was almost natural at this point, something that even he didn't pick up on, especially because it was immediately rationalized by the fact that she was clearly drunk and looking like a dumbass. "You're really fucking annoying, you know that? And drunk. Not very on brand of you," he snorted. “Don’t tell me you’ve given up on the pretentious bitch thing.”​

 

[lauren.]

"You are just so obsessed with me, aren't you?" Cara said, turning around and leaning against her own apartment door (if only by default, since she was fairly wobbly in her own right), as she faced him with a smirk of her own. She wasn't sober enough to realize that she had been knocking on her door that loudly, and she definitely wasn't sober enough to care about that being a nuisance to anyone, even if she did realize it. "You hear my voice and just come running on out." While she was purposely speaking out of her ass just to get a rise out of him, she was only half joking, because she was conceited enough to feel like Roman had good reason to be obsessed with her. There was no way in hell that he could ever do better than her, as far as she was concerned. In fact, it was actually somewhat embarrassing on her part that she had stooped so low as to sleep with him. That definitely didn't mean that she would take back sleeping with him, because that had been a good time for her just as much as it had been for him, but it wasn't something that she (or he, probably) would be willing to go public about.

"And with your little girlfriend moving in? Really, Roman? That's low even for you." The girlfriend reference was meant purely as a joke because again, she didn't think highly enough of Roman to assume that he would be able to hold a girlfriend, but she wasn't being vicious in her words. If anything, it was that banter that she frequently held with him, that certainly wasn't playful in a jovial sense, but wasn't as truly biting as it sometimes came off to be. "If you were into that type, we could've just set you up with Makayla. You two are trashy enough for each other, aren't you?" Given how Cara was, "that type" could have meant a number of things, none of which were kind enough to need any sort of elaboration on. "But you know what? While you're out here, make yourself useful and pick this lock since I'm sure that's one of the skills you were taught growing up in the gutters of London, isn't it?"


​

 

[Collapsed]

How Chanel could be so loud (and not even volume wise, more so in terms of personality) on an average day was already a mystery to Nick, but how she managed to do it while high was even more strange to him. He knew that drugs affected everyone differently, and he also knew that not everyone zoned out and turned into a zombie while high. They were smoking a sativa strange, which in itself was definitely more energizing than indica anyway, but still, she was always something else. Her narratives never disappointed though, and even when he was high enough to not really know how to follow what she was saying, she always got a smile out of him, if for no other reason than the dramatics of her voice made him laugh.

"If I'm a criminal, so are the two of you," he defended himself with a smirk, waving the joint slightly before passing it to Makayla. Sure, selling drugs was certainly more of a crime than doing them (especially when you sold them in such high volumes), but they were both crimes nonetheless, and Nick could only imagine that Chanel's parents would frown on the idea of her doing drugs at all. She seemed chill, but also suburban enough to have that kind of stable, normal family life back home. "And don't play that bullshit with me," he added, laughing quietly as he processed more of what Chanel had said. "I know the two of you get that all the time. You've got that tall, model shit going on, and you've got that 'looks like she meditates for ten hours a day, but could simultaneously cut your throat open' look going. Guys love that stuff."

He leaned back and shut his eyes, completely oblivious still to the texts that Delaney and Roman had sent him, and momentarily forgetting that Delaney was even moving in then. His eyes remained shut, and his head tilted back as he relaxed, seemingly on the verge of taking a nap, though a wide grin appeared on his face as Makayla informed Chanel that he wasn't worth the trouble of either of them having to deal with Brooklyn. She got that right. Both of them could do better than him easily, even without taking Brooklyn into consideration. While Nick was convinced that Brooklyn was over him and he had no shot there anymore, he actually wasn't sure how she would react to someone pursuing him now. She hadn't done anything to Cara, as Makayla pointed out, so he had no reason to believe that she cared about him at all to be upset if anyone else tried anything, now that they weren't even dating anymore.

"I don't know," he admitted in response to Makayla's question about Brooklyn's living situation. His eyes were still closed as he zoned off. He was minutely impressed with himself for being able to have a conversation about Brooklyn without getting angry or emotional. The weed certainly helped numb any of that pain. "You guys probably talk to her more than I do, so you'd know better than me. Didn't you all go to Florida or something?"
​

 

[cure]

An eye roll was almost as second nature as breathing at Cara's insistence that she was just that alluring. To be fair, her arrogance was part of what he found attractive about her. Considering that it also annoyed him but was also her biggest trait, he would even say that her being a pain in the ass was also alluring in its own right. And in a way, it made sense considering there had never really been a period where they quite got on. They never clicked when he first met her for various reasons, perhaps their own bigheadedness being a large contributing factor. And despite Cara's persistent reminders of just how different they were, it was probably their similarities that made them buttheads. They were just different manifestations of the same thing. Cara was more vocal and proud whereas Roman was more withdrawn. But there was still the same blunt nature, arrogance, and the endless banter. While he wouldn't consider her a friend by any stretch of the imagination, the pure animosity he once reserved for her wasn't there anymore. He wasn't quite sure where he stood with her or vice versa, but that wasn't something that bothered him and was actually something he enjoyed. Roman wasn't staunchly opposed to pushing boundaries, and he liked a challenge, which was why he found it entertaining to test things with Cara. Though maybe that was a roundabout way of saying he minutely enjoyed her company, as was evident by the fact that he was no longer hovering in the door.

"Makayla's nice," he muttered as he dragged his feet to Cara's apartment door, not quite sure why he was even defending her. He really didn't know much about her either other than the fact that she seemed like a slave to Holly's needs. But maybe that was just his perception about how he himself couldn't fathom how to handle someone like Holly. He was also more favorable towards people who minded their business which is what Makayla seemed to do. Roman didn't immediately understand the girlfriend comment. Like with many things in his current state, he actually only picked up on the comment in retrospect, which was why he didn't bother to respond to it until he was at her door. "That girl was supposed to be our new roommate," he stated matter-of-fact as he turned the knob to no avail, not entirely sure what he was expecting to happen. Though he was a bit disappointed that he wouldn't have the chance to chastise her for banging so loudly on an already unlocked door. "You always seem to be awfully obsessed with these imaginary girlfriends of mine." He glanced back towards her and tilted his head to the side. "In London, we use these things called keys. You're telling me you don't have one?" He peered at her purse before lifting his eyes back to her."Or was this a cheap excuse for bringing me over? Not that it didn't work the first time, I guess," he said, remembering New Year's Eve. ​

 

[lauren.]

Even if it was an odd response, Holly's answer regarding her relationship with her sister was somehow reassuring. It sounded authentic, positive, and normal. It probably sounded strange that Ruby cared so much, but psychiatry wasn't just her profession. It was something that she was truly passionate about and it was also a career that she couldn't just leave when she walked out of the office. In fact, she felt like it was a career that was even harder to leave home than other medical professionals. A cardiothoracic surgeon didn't have to wonder about what was going on in the atriums of people walking down the street. An anesthesiologist just the same. She had always been the type of person who was either all in, or all out. She was an overachiever and couldn't fathom the idea of not making something she was doing everything that she was doing, but maybe it wasn't healthy. Maybe it wasn't healthy to think about and care about and want to figure out strangers... or roommates... but Ruby couldn't help it. And she only meant well. She only wanted everyone to be okay and happy.

Before she could react, Holly had answered the doorbell buzzer and was insisting that they head into the hall to see if Justin Bieber had come to deliver stuffed animals to them. Ruby had no idea who had rang their doorbell, but she was sure it wasn't Justin Bieber, or anyone for Holly for that matter, and she knew enough by now that she didn't think that Makayla would want Holly running around the halls. "No, no," she said, shooing her back towards the kitchen. "I don't think it's Justin Bieber," she insisted. She was tempted to tell Holly that they needed to finish the brownies in case it was him because he would definitely want some, and while that would have made things easier, she also wasn't in a position to insult the girl's intelligence (or gullibility level) like that. "Let's wait in here. I bet it's someone for Chanel," she insisted, gently guiding Holly over towards the counter. She had already mixed most of the ingredients together, and began to spread the batter into a glass pan. "I need you to pour the M&Ms on the top for me. I feel like you'd be better at that than anyone else I know."​

 

[BurningBridges]

Collin always understood that Roman was like... well, whatever this was... but he didn't think that the two of them had any issues. He minded his business, Roman minded his... they had no need to be more or less than acquaintances as far as Collin was concerned, even with his sister's well known opinion of the guys. Apparently, Roman had no manners though. It shouldn't have been very surprising since Roman wasn't someone who just existed in a neutral sense of the word. He definitely leaned on the side of being abrasive and cold for no reason, but in a less likable way than someone like Brooklyn did. Maybe she could get away with it because she was hot. It was actually quite likely, when he thought about it. Roman didn't have that going for him... at least as far as Collin was concerned, so when he bluntly told Collin to get out, and then called Delaney a whore on his way out, Collin felt something close to disgust for the guy.

He didn't really care about him telling him to get out - Collin had dealt with bullies before, so a comment like that didn't do much to rub him the wrong way. To call this girl a whore, though? For seemingly no reason? Collin couldn't put any logic behind that, and had he known Delaney any better than being a literal stranger, he probably would have called Roman out on it. He had no idea what Delaney and Roman's relationship consisted of though, and given that they were living together, he assumed that the two knew each other well enough where his involvement would only complicate things unnecessarily. Instead, he looked to Delaney with a bit of uncertainty after Roman stormed out. "You should feel lucky. It seems like you caught him on one of his more personable days," he offered, smiling slightly as he tried to lighten the mood. "How do you know him, if you don't mind me asking?"​

 

[Ari]

Delaney Suarez

Overview

Name:	Delaney Suarez
Age:	22
Birthday:	June 1st
Sexual Orientation:	Heterosexual
Hometown:	Dallas, Texas

Delaney didn't know what she expected to happen after she objected to Roman telling Collin to leave, but she knew that she didn't expect the biting words that he left them with. Her eyes followed him out the door and she stared at the empty doorway for a few seconds, unsure of how she was supposed to react. She was supposed to live with him? A bratty man-child without a single ounce of decency or respect (first impressions mattered...)?

This is going to be interesting...

She could already hear how this phone call was going to go, if she dared to tell her mother about the people she would be living with. It would start with anger and probably end in some variation of a sobbing, "¡Me duele más a mí que a ti!". She couldn't tell her family about this. She just couldn't. Not only would that phone call be unbearable, but it would absolutely lead to something dramatic. She'd come to find out that her mom's second cousin twice removed sold his business just to buy her parents plane tickets to come "rescue her" or something like that. Nope, she was a big girl, and she would somehow handle this herself.

She had drifted into her own world momentarily, envisioning her downfall as if it was an old Hollywood movie that ended in her demise, but was pulled out of it by Collin's voice. "I don't know him," she explained, somewhat dryly but without meaning to come off that way, since she had nothing but appreciation for Collin at this point (partially because he was nice, and partially because he seemed quite normal in comparison to her new roommate). "I know Nick; that's it. I'm starting to feel like your sister had good reason to warn me about... this, yeah?" "This" was a reference to the living situation as a whole, because with that as a starting point, things seemed bleak overall. "I can't imagine Nick living with that. He's too chill." Though his comment seemed to sarcastically allude to Roman being a grim presence on a daily basis, she was seeking some sort of reassurance that this wasn't normal.

 

[lauren.]

Cara could do nothing less than scoff aloud at what Roman was alluding to in terms of her intentions. Even though she was conscious of the fact that he liked annoying her just as much as she liked annoying him, like him, she often couldn't resist responding and feeding into it. "Let it be known that no one asked you to come over here," she corrected him. "You came to me, and while I don't blame you, just know that desperate guys are the opposite of attractive." In Cara's case, that wasn't really true. While she obviously wasn't fawning over anyone who reeked of desperation, she definitely preferred dating guys who were more invested in the relationship than she was. Blame it on being innately insecure, or maybe innately unsatisfied, but it was just how she was. She liked the idea of being able to leave someone before they left her. "Of course I have a key," she added a beat later. "But if I had it on me, I wouldn't be out here knocking on the door, waiting for your future cellmate to be of some sort of use, now would I?" she added, with a hint of mockery in her tone as she rolled her eyes at his stupidity.

She banged on the door a few more times before glancing back over at him, as she thought about what he had first said. "And what do you mean 'supposed' to be your new roommate? Planning on kill her off already?" For some unknown and unjustified reason, Delaney's presence had annoyed Cara enough that she wasn't going to judge Roman for his distaste towards her just yet. She somehow seemed annoying, even if she had literally done nothing more than exist in the space that Cara walked past.

 

[cure]

Even though it was surprising given the fact that she took care of Holly, Makayla's patient and empathetic nature was something she appreciated. Though right now Makayla was being quite sassy, a side that Chanel didn't get to witness too often but that she enjoyed witnessing nonetheless. It was pleasant to see the girl seem a bit more relaxed instead of so reserved and poised. "Was," Chanel corrected referring to the status of her relationship with Cara. It had still only been a short time since their confrontation, but Chanel knew Cara and Cara's well enough to be able to take a hint before it was dropped. "At least, that's my assumption." After Nick tossed the lighter her way, she didn't immediately respond to Makayla's previous question, instead momentarily checking out of the conversation as she tried to light the incense in her hand, a task that was taking longer than it should have. It wasn't until she had set it in a holder by her bedside that she remembered the music she was supposed to be setting.

"It wasn't like a sleepover or anything," she passively explained to Nick as she typed onto her computer too fast for her mind to keep up with. She was frustrated with herself because she couldn't seem to remember her password, let alone ever even changing it, not yet realizing that she was selecting her caps lock when meaning to turn it off. "She was mostly babysitting your pal the whole time. And her and Cara weren't even really at each other's throats which was most surprising to me. I guess they figured they were even after Brooklyn slept with Collin. Couldn't be me, but- ugh, finally!" she exclaimed once she was logged in. "Wait, did you guys hear something? Was that the door or is it that thing where you ears ring and you think you're going crazy?"​

 

[Collapsed]

The idea of all of his neighbors going to Florida together was weird, but not weird at the same time. In theory, their little apartment building floor could easily be the plot of a future television show. You had hot girls, a British dude with dry humor, the classic drug dealer, an heiress, and the uniqueness of Makayla and Holly's situation. It was a unique setup, and the fact that they were all intertwined in their stories made it all the more interesting. It was noticeable to Nick in a conscious way, too - not in a breaking the fourth wall sense. Especially high, he liked to reflect on things like this -- how weird it was that so many strangers could become more than that. One little life change, making taking a different walk home one day and spotting a different apartment building with a vacancy, and all of their lives could've been entirely different. Someone like Holly didn't seem essential to Nick's life, but had he not gotten caught talking to her one day, maybe he would've left the building five minutes earlier and in turn, crossed the street five minutes earlier and been hit by a car that ran a red light. Maybe it was overthinking things, but everything Nick liked to think that everything happened for a reason. Even connections and events that only seemed like negative experiences in reflection had to have some sort of hidden good meaning. It brought him to where he was today, and he definitely wasn't happy with where he was today, but he was alive, and that had to count for something.

Nick had been partially zoned out, so he initially missed most of what Chanel had responded about their Florida trip's details. He became more alert when she mentioned hearing a noise. Nick definitely wasn't the type who became paranoid while high typically, but sometimes he felt like he had to be hyper-sensitive to things while high simply because it wasn't what he was programmed to do, and that could be dangerous in itself. As if the doorbell was going to ring again, he tried to focus his attention on listening, though it obviously wasn't going to happen now, moments later. He checked his phone finally then, realizing that he had gotten a text that the food was there. He didn't really piece it together that that was what the doorbell was, but he said, "Oh, the food is here," as he texted Roman and Delaney back in an under-reactive way.

To: Delaney
Oh yeah I left the key on the windowsill in ur room. Everything cool? I'm across the hall if u need anything

To: Roman
Chill what's wrong?

After he sent Roman's text, he re-ran the words that Chanel had said... something about Brooklyn babysitting Roman, which wasn't surprising. The idea of Roman basking in the Florida heat seemed incomprehensible in itself, but going there to specifically spend time at a theme park filled with children made it all the more baffling. And then Brooklyn and Cara not fighting because they were even after Brooklyn slept with Collin. Being "even" was definitely a weird way to put it, but Nick--

"Wait, she fucking slept with Collin? That little two-inched dick fucking punk? You're telling me that he and Brooklyn have a thing going?" Within a second, he was on his feet, a sea of anger washing over him in a way that felt incredibly (and scarily) sobering. Nick didn't know why he felt this angry. Well, he knew that it was because he loved Brooklyn, but he also knew that she wasn't his. However, much in the same way as she must have felt, he felt like it was an attack on his ego and himself because they had all lived together. Why should he believe that this was a one time thing? What if this little fucking loser was sleeping with her this whole time? Who did he think he was touching his girl? He was dead. Dead. ​

 

[Bandit_]

Chanel mentioned Collin and Brooklyn sleeping together so casually that Makayla didn't even process it as being anything abnormal. She hadn't been aware of it, but it also wasn't something that affected her enough to an extent where she would really care had Chanel told her when they were alone. She was aware of how it was a big deal, simply because it just added one more layer to this messy Brooklyn x Nick x Forrester drama, but Makayla wouldn't have lost any sleep over it. Granted, it was surprising that Collin had it in him to be a bit of an underdog here, since the idea of him landing someone like Brooklyn was a stretch, but Chanel pinned it down to what it had to be - revenge. There was no reason that Brooklyn would sleep with that kid for any reason other than that, even if he was cute for a white kid his age. There was nothing wrong with Collin, and he actually was shockingly decent given the girl he shared DNA with, but there was no way to act like he was in Brooklyn's league. Plus, anyone who knew Brooklyn knew that getting back at Cara in such a way seemed pretty accurate to her character.

"I always pictured Brooklyn as being the type who liked to be on top, so I doubt he's only two inches. No way she could ride that. Maybe six?" Makayla was egging on the situation, and she was aware of it, but even she liked a little bit of drama from time to time. At least when she wasn't involved in it. Besides, even if she saw fury in Nick's eyes, she didn't think that he was actually that crazy. What was he going to do, pound on Cara's door and demand to kick her brother's ass? Plus, it wasn't like Nick didn't deserve this. He slept with Barbie, Brooklyn deserved to sleep with Ken.

Makayla was hungry, and knowing that the food was on its way up seemed to make her hunger grow tenfold, but she wanted to see this play out. She glanced at Chanel, pulling her lips into her mouth to bite back a smirk that was really trying to surface. It wasn't appropriate to find this to be amusing, and maybe she could blame the weed, but all she wanted to do was laugh. ​

 

[A_Writer]

"I am good at that!" Holly exclaimed, even though she had never actually adorned brownie batter with M&Ms before, and even if she had, it wasn't necessarily a talent to be bragging about. Ruby was right though, that it was enough of an exciting task to redirect Holly from the idea that Justin Beiber was potentially coming to visit, and she willing returned to the kitchen to their baking. "Wanna know something?" she asked as she took the bag of M&Ms from the counter and shook it gently as she looked inside to watch all of the colors bounce around, chuckling aloud as she thought to herself that it looked like they were bouncing on a trampoline. "There are more thumbs in the world than there are people!" Not only was she the queen of dumping M&Ms onto brownie batter, as she demonstrated oh-so-gracefully in one swift move, but she was apparently the queen of fun facts as well. In that spirit, she continued by saying, "And did you know that people who have no arms never have to buy a jacket in their life, because they can just buy vests? One time me and Makayla were walking through Times Square and we saw a man in a wheelchair who had no arms, and no legs, and he looked like a chicken nugget. And when I passed by him I told him he looked like a chicken nugget with eyes and Makayla said 'don't ever say that again!' but I'm only saying it to you because you're my friend." How she found such a story to be even remotely relevant or appropriate for the current conversation was not explainable, but it also went without saying that that was Holly for you.

Just from her cooking attempts with Makayla, she knew not to even attempt to carry their finished product to the oven herself, as she had enough experience dropping nearly-finished meals or baked goods, so she opted to open the oven door for Ruby to slide it in herself. "Goodbye little friends!" she said, bidding her M&M buddies farewell. "When you come out, you'll still be alive, but you'll be sunburned. We'll still like you though! But don't turn into peanut M&Ms because we will not like you then." She was almost preoccupied enough with talking to a tray of uncooked brownies to not notice the knock on their door, but even medicated, Holly's attention span wasn't that good yet. With only an excited laugh, she was scurrying out of the kitchen to the door, which she swung open without even bothering to ask who was on the other side. "You're not Justin Bieber," she frowned at the man, who clad in a bicycle helmet and carrying an insulated bag with a delivery service logo on it was quite clearly a delivery man. "Nick?" he asked with a thick accent as he held out two bags. "No, I'm Nick, I'm Holly," she laughed, though she happily accepted the bags before twirling around and slamming the door in the man's face without meaning too. Hopefully Nick had tipped in the app. "That man thought that I was Nick!" she laughed as she brought the food back to Ruby in the kitchen.
​

 

[cure]

Chanel was busy toned out to her computer. She didn't stay checked into the conversation regarding hearing the bell for more than 5 seconds before she remembered (again) about the task at her. She giggled to herself over the silliness of it all. How many times had she tried to do this? It felt like forever, but maybe she was high. She turned her head up towards the ceiling, her mouth spreading agape slightly in awe and realization and some amusement. Oh, yeah. I am high. Looking at the ceiling turned into its own trap as she fell into a trance of tracing the shadows above her. It made her think of how these shadows on the ceiling were kind of like bedroom clouds, and now she was wondering what clouds even were. She should Google that. Wait, there was something else she was using her computer for though. Just before she could have her Aha! moment for remembering the music (again), Nick's outburst startled her. She was checked out enough to not register his statement outside of the swears and something about a micropenis. "Did you just say two-inched dick?"

Makayla being inciting the situation, while not helpful for the situation at hand, was helpful for Chanel to be able to retrospectively piece together the words that had floated over her head. "Collin doesn't have a two inch penis," Chanel said. "He's way too quiet and insecure. Any guy would hyper overcompensate." It wasn't like she really had any proof and it was all just theory, but she felt like any man that was too full of himself was overcompensating for something. "I mean, Brooklyn never told me or anything, but when I was at their place, the two of them came out of a room a little...under dressed, so one can only assume. I feel like if someone like Brooklyn had just entertained a micropenis it would have shown on her face. Besides, if Brooklyn really would entertain someone like that, what does that say about you, Nick?" Chanel really didn't mean the words to come out the way they did, and she wasn't trying to egg things on, though like Makayla she found this to be not at all concerning. "I mean after being taken advantage of I guess anyone would want to exert some sense of control and Collin is a pretty obvious target. And Makayla, you're right. In that scenario, Collin is definitely a bottom. Wouldn't that be funny if they were secretly having a thing? Plus, they were totally chill at Disney. I feel like it would only be super weird if it was really bad sex. I would lose my mind. Wait, guys. Help me pick a playlist. What are we in the mood for?"​

 

[Collapsed]

Clearly, Makayla and Chanel didn't know what an angry Nick was capable of doing. Nick didn't get angry often. Not angry angry. He was typically a very low-key and chill guy. Sure, he got annoyed from time to time... pissed off every now and then... but that wasn't anything scary necessarily. What he was feeling like right now wasn't anything close to that. It was immature and it was unfair because again, Brooklyn wasn't his property, and she wasn't even his girlfriend anymore. He was the one who had ruined their relationship at the end of the day, but that didn't change the fact that he felt enraged, betrayed, and disrespected. He was seeing red and if he didn't feel the need to physically expel this negative energy in a manner of actual physical contact, this situation might have been extreme enough to him to at least warrant pulling out the handgun that he kept in the under his mattress. He didn't want to actually kill Collin... but then again, maybe he did. He wasn't thinking about consequences, or even the situation as a whole in a clear mindset. All he could think about was Collin's hands on his girl, and every second that that thought ran through his mind increased the intensity of the way his fists were balled up.

He couldn't even hear Chanel talking as his own thoughts raced through his mind, and by the time she was talking about a playlist, he was shoving his way out of her bedroom. "He's fucking dead!" he exclaimed on his way down the hall, showing no interest or care in Holly and Ruby in the kitchen as he stormed out of the apartment. The delivery man was only just turning away from their apartment then, having likely taken a moment outside their door after engaging with Holly to finish off the delivery in the phone app on his end and figure out where he was going next. "Get the fuck out of my way, bro," was the "thank you" he was greeted with as Nick literally shoved him out of the way on his way over to Brooklyn's apartment. Cara and Roman were standing outside of the door, but Nick had no time for either of them.

"Where's your brother?" he said to Cara, not even looking at her as he first tried the door handle, and then began to slam his fist on her apartment door, just a few inches past her head. "Open up, you little fucking bitch. I'm gonna fucking kill you!" he demanded through the door, though he obviously had no idea whether Collin was inside or not.​

 

[cure]

Roman was arguably arrogant on his own accord, but his upbringing likely had a lot to do with it. Knowing he was smart was one thing, but never being forced to humble himself as being raised to extract his value from being better than everyone else, while great for establishing self-esteem, definitely created and inflated ego that wasn't very receptive to empathy. Unsurprisingly, he had a bad habit of automatically writing someone off as being stupid if they didn't understand something simple to him. He wasn't so conceited and in his own reality that he would expect someone to pick up a physics book and know it in a heartbeat. But if you couldn't grasp the Helmholtz equation by his second or third explanation, he couldn't be assed. The only time he was ever really humbled was when he was high like now, because he was checked out enough to actually be curious about something for once in his life. So when Cara rolled her eyes at his presumed stupidity over not knowing why she was waiting for his 'future cellmate,' he actually stopped in his tracks to question what he was missing. Because it simply took a few beats for him to realize that she was referring to Brooklyn.

Because by the time he had returned to actively listening to what she was saying, and because it was just his natural tone, his pensive response of, "Not already," was rather ominous, and completely the wrong part of the sentence he meant to deny. Even after realizing this, he didn't bother to correct himself. "But it's not like it concerns you anyway. Though I dislike her about as much as I did you," he said before correcting himself a thought later. "Do," he clarified before glancing at her coolly. "I still have a very strong disdain for you. Which is obviously why I'm wasting my time over here," he said, the latter part mostly being himself talking aloud as he realized the hypocrisy in his words and action, his voice falling flat into sarcasm as he connected the dots.

More demanding of his attention, and even stranger, was seeing Nick burst through Makayla and Chanel's apartment, and in an apparent fury at that. As if that wasn't weird enough, him marching over to where he and Cara stood, demanding Collin was enough to leave Roman perturbed, enough so that it appeared on his typically stoic and boring face. He innately moved from the door's way, incidently getting Cara ushered over as they were beside each other. While he knew Nick well enough to know that this was quite atypical rage mode for Nick, enough that it would attract Roman's attention even if he was sober, he wasn't actually concerned. Perhaps because it was, for whatever reason, regarding Collin. And because Nick was a friend, he was inclined to automatically be on his side anyway, but that didn't stop him from grabbing Nick's hand away in an attempt to stop him from banging on the door. Just because he was on his side didn't mean he wasn't going to just let his friend running around punching walls and causing a riot without question. While Nick's behavior was out of the ordinary enough to be startling, even for Roman, his voice remained calm. "Hey, hey, hey. Relax. What the fuck are you doing? He's not even in there," he said. Again because Nick was his friend, his immediate thought was to wonder what Collin had done instead of if Collin had done anything to begin. And it was a good thing Roman didn't know, because if he was privy to what was causing Nick to be this angry, he would have stepped aside. Nick was a calm guy too. Relaxed and easy going, so even outside of the guy being one of his best friends, it made the most sense to assume that Nick was not on the side of error and that he had to have been justifiably provoked. The only reason Roman didn't reveal Collin's whereabouts was for Nick's sake and not Collin's. He was firstly more concerned with making sure his friend wasn't trying to do anything stupid over being concerned for Collin's safety. "What did he do?"
​