black sheep

November 2080 - Cameron Gibson is 29, Bella Bradshaw is 24. (Cody Bradshaw is 65, Kendal is 60.)

Bella Bradshaw and Cameron Gibson might possibly be the two hottest people alive... or at least they think so. Cameron is crazy about her, and has been for over three years now. He really hasn't even thought about another woman (or man, for that matter) since they got "serious." But this is Bella Bradshaw we're talking about. Cameron knows he's likely not the only man on her mind - but he also knows it's quite obvious who her favorite is.

They're good together, really good, smoking hot kind of good! They could set things on fire they're so hot! It sucks to be their neighbors sometimes... or well, maybe it doesn't suck, if you're kinky like this girl seems to be.

It's really a nice existence they have, their biggest dilemmas being which new nightclub to show up at?... What slinky dress does he want to see her in?...

Do they want to do it in the photo booth, or the hot tub? The usual answer being, hey, why not both?

Well, their landlord is a dilemma sometimes. Cameron is thinking, Oh no you didn't just barge into my apartment and put trash on my floor! Cameron is quite finicky sometimes, I mean, just look at how long he spends doing his hair...

But then Bella's dad calls, and he says, "Why don't you stop over for a bit, your mother and I have something to tell you."

***

So they make the drive out to Bluewater. Bella hasn't seen her parents in a little while, and she's shocked at how OLD they've gotten. She says, "Mom? Dad? You guys look so... ummm... well, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

They tell Bella that they're moving. They've found a nice little apartment in Abandia City - you know, after losing the mayoral election by a landslide, and her father's falling out with the family, they just think they've outstayed their welcome around here. Even Bluewater doesn't feel far enough away. Maybe it's time for a fresh start in their elder years?

But Bella has some news too, and after months of her parents ragging on her about all those acting classes they paid for, Cameron says, "Babe, tell them about the job!"

Bella says, "Oh, it's nothing much, it's just a couple lines in some movie."

She's hesitant to call it her big break or anything, but hey, she's acting and being paid for it! Her parents are glad - they spent a fortune on that drama degree, and she sure didn't need that if all she was going to do was dance.

But Kendal has just one little suggestion before they go. She's worried about her daughter. She wonders if Bella might entertain the idea of settling down a little. You know, a ring on her finger?

Bella says, "You want me to what???" All the men that Bella's been with and never once has she thought about marrying one of them!

Her mother doesn't need to be coy about the way Bella behaves. "It's not becoming of a young lady, and you don't want to end up an old maid."

Bella says, "I'm only twenty-four!"

"Well, you know, you'll need time to give me a grandchild or two..."

"No, he's not very bright, is he? But what lovely babies he would make..."

With that, they take their leave. They tell Bella to be good - or, well, good for Bella anyway. They remind her that she still has family here. They say, "Maybe we've shamed them, but they wouldn't turn you away. They're your family, Bella."

But Bella knows that isn't exactly true. Amelia and Keri don't think much of her, and she has shamed them both before. She's always been a family black sheep, just like her dad.

Farewell Cody and Kendal... try not to piss each other off too much in your golden years!

***

Bella gets home from her first day on set, and Cameron swoops her up in his arms and says, "Buy yourself a new dress, put something hot on, I'm taking you out!"

Bella says, "You mean you're taking me out with my own first paycheck?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll even call the cab."

Bella says, "Cameron, sweetie, you're supposed to have a trust fund if you want to be a playboy."

He says, "Why do you think I hooked up with an aspiring actress?"

Bella puts something on, but then she's wondering if he's thinking swank, or skank? "So where are we going then?"

"It's Maxwell's new club," Cameron says.

Yeah, definitely skank then, Bella thinks.

Max has a new club opening up this weekend. Cameron and Maxwell have become something of friends as they're both hot commodities in the Lake City social scene. Bella meets Valerie for the first time, and then she vaguely remembers that she's met Maxwell before too. She ran into him at a club once, ages ago, and gave him her phone number - but hey, she's given her phone number to a lot of guys in her day. Maxwell only called a couple times, and nothing ever came of it. Bella was too occupied back then to give it much thought. Valerie is giving it a lot of thought right now though, with the way they're looking at each other.

But the thoughts all quickly disperse. Maxwell is busy - the club is well-received, and doing better than Maxwell's last flop. And Bella has invited Mariah and Micah out to join them.

Mariah and Micah, who are officially dating now. But did you really have any doubts? Micah says, "I totally had it in the bag!"

Meanwhile, Max is having some issues with a certain infatuated club bunny. Club Bunny says, "But Maxwell, you said we would be best friends forever." Max is thinking, I say that to all of them, Babe!

***

It's a happy existence, she's not going to lie...

But people leave so easily, and she's beginning to feel a little clingy. A quarterlife crisis maybe? Jeremiah left her, her only sister moved away many years ago, and now her parents? All she has left in the world is Cameron and Mariah - Bella makes a mental note: don't sleep with Mariah's boyfriend!

But she does have Mariah, if no one else, and she whines to her about all her problems. Mariah is such a good listener. "I still can't believe he got married."

"Are you still thinking about him?"

"Yeah, sometimes, I just hope he's careful, you know, I hope he doesn't fall off a mountain and die or anything."

"Yeah, that would suck," Mariah says.

Bella says, "So I slept with George McCarthy..."

Mariah is thinking, Please, somebody tell me, what am I supposed to do with this girl?

But there have been more shocking things in the world, so Mariah fakes a tone of complete bafflement, and says, "Really?"

"Yeah, George, about six months ago," Bella says. "You know, Cameron isn't seeing anybody else - and I don't think he has for a long time. I guess he really loves me, or something, like for real."

"That's good," Mariah says. "Isn't it?"

"Sure," Bella says.

"God, what if he asks me to marry him or something?"

Mariah says, "What if he does?"

"Oh, I don't know," Bella says. "I guess if he asked me, I probably would - you know, they get all destroyed when you turn them down. I don't know if I could do that again, you know, to him."

***

notes: OMG, she rolled it, people! And that is a first for Bella Bradshaw! All the guys she's been with and she's never rolled an engagement or marriage want - not even a generic one, not even the marry-for-money want. I was shocked when I saw it! I almost peed my pants! I thought she would be my eternal bachelorette... Let's hold that thought, and wonder if Cameron might be interested?...

Have I ever mentioned that Bella has over FOUR ROWS of three-bolt attractions!!! I'm not kidding when I say half of my 'hood has the hots for her! They totally do!

Also interesting is that Bella didn't roll that marriage want until after her mom rolled those family engagement/marriage wants - maybe she's actually taking her mother's advice to heart? Bella's mom is funny - she totally can't get over how HOT Cameron is! Every time he's around, she's in a constant state of swoon, lol! :)

BTW, Bella's parents were the move-away random event that I'm not too concerned about.

Oh the foul foul things that happen on this couch! Maybe best not to have public couches if you've got ACR installed, lol!