extras, friendship picspam

Friends is the picture theme over at N99 this week, and I spent a bit of time putting this together, so I thought I'd share it here too so that you all could see it. Some of these friendships go back so far, and when you look at it all in sequence, it kind of even tells a story.

If I get around to doing some other groups of friends, I'll share those here too. I'd definitely like to get around to doing my Tyler/Beau/April/Summer/Lucy/Dallas group too, but I know I have many others as well.

extras, birthday spam

Just a few extras and outtakes from setting up Stephanie's birthday party. I found this bunch surprisingly photogenic while I was working on them, and I ended up with a lot more pictures than I could actually use.

happy birthday, dear Stephanie...

December 16, 2083 - Stephanie Day is 24, Willow is 16 months. (Justin Kim is 23, Lily is 10 months, Corbin Gray is 32.)

Stephanie turns twenty-four today. Her parents have spent the majority of the week packing and unpacking, making the 20-minute drive from here to the LCU campus several times. Her mother got the School Board President job, and she starts immediately following the holiday break. But she did make some time to take Stephanie out for a new haircut and a pedicure, to brighten her spirits, and then they met her dad for lunch.

Her mother also arranged for some help around the house. "You'll have a housekeeper once a week," she said to Stephanie. "And call your uncle over if you need snow shoveled. The mortgage is paid, and you have Jeremiah's stipend for groceries. Your father will bring over more, if you need it. So all you have to do is take care of Willow. You can handle that, can't you?"

Stephanie handles Willow just fine, and Justin's daughter Lily sometimes too. So she isn't sure what sticks more, the emphasis on "all," or that it's even a question?

party prep picspam...

It's basically party season around here in Lakeside Heights, December through the New Year. Or at least this year it is. The elections are coming up fast, there's a war going on, and people are stressed out and need to blow off some steam. So the next few updates will feature parties, family gatherings, holiday events, or get-togethers for no specific reason at all.

LCU, landslide, part 3.5

November 2083 - LCU, fall semester (part 3.5 of 4) - Vicky Garth and Summer Phoenix are 19, April Hutchins and Beau Jackson are 20. (Corbin Gray is 33.) * soundtrack for all parts, "Landslide," by Fleetwood Mac *

Vicky actually waited until three months after the legal drinking age to have her very first drink. April made it for her, a sex on the beach. She didn't taste the vodka so much going down, but it she sure did feel it in her head about ten minutes later. It wasn't that she was afraid, or opposed, or even prudish. It was mostly that she just hadn't even realized she was old enough finally. 

pressure points

October 2083 - Stephanie Day is 23, Willow is 1. (Jeremy Nova is 68, Riley Hathe is 34, Justin Kim is 23, Corbin Gray is 33.)

She feels looked after like a child. Her father drives back and forth from the city. He says he's just prepping for the move, but he never seems to be moving anything. Justin calls her almost every day after work, and he and Lily come over when they can. Her Aunt Sophie comes by from across the street. "Oh, honey," she says, frowning at Stephanie's scorched attempt at pork chops. "You should have let me bring you something."

And then there's the real, actual child. Willow. Aunt Sophie scoops her up in her arms. "Oh, isn't she just precious?" she says. "What a doll."

LCU, life in present tense, part 1

LCU, spring semester, 2083 (part 1 of 3). Last semester, fall 2082.*soundtrack (for all three parts), "Lifeboats," by Snow Patrol*

Her mother said she wasn't cut out for this, that she was spoiled rotten, that being in the military would hit her like a brick wall. Keri knows that she's been spoiled, and she just couldn't resist throwing back, "Well whose fault is it if I am spoiled!?!"

Her mother didn't speak to her after that.

They had one terrible spat about it, and then her mother went silent. Keri knows this silence doesn't mean acceptance, and it certainly isn't approval, but instead it is coldness and waiting. Waiting to see what will happen, what will she choose to do? After all, Keri Riley-Kim is a full grown woman now, and entitled to make her own decisions, among everything else she's entitled to.

But she only gets her father on the phone these past couple of months, and surely her mother, when she is home, is seeing a name on the caller ID and handing it straight over to Bryson each time. Keri wants what she wants, but it doesn't stop her from feeling icky inside. Keri says, "Maybe you might send mom this time, if she's home?"

"You know she's busy," Bryson says. But she needs him to come watch Lillian so she can go to her yoga class, and then real class, and could he pick up some diapers on the way?

"Daddy, please," she adds, and Bryson comes running.

LCU, start a revolution (part 1)

LCU, fall semester, 2082 (part 1 of 2). Last semester, spring 2082. *optional soundtrack, "Volunteers," by Jefferson Airplane.*

Keri Riley-Kim is different from her big sister Mariah in many ways, most notably maybe in that Keri always knows exactly what she wants. She knows what she wants, when she wants it, how she wants it, and even who's going to give it to her. Some people might say this makes her a bitch, but Keri just thinks she's a proud, sure woman. There's nothing wrong with being sure. Keri has been raised to get whatever she wants, and she usually does, one way or another.

But there's one thing Keri knows she doesn't want, and that is to work retail! So when Justin suggests it as a possibility for her senior year internship, she says, "Do you see me putting up with all that 'customer is always right' bullshit?"

LCU, reining bridezilla

LCU, fall semester, 2081

***Very long, but picture-heavy, mostly - it's a wedding, you know ;)

Justin gulps hard and says, "You hired a housekeeper for this tiny apartment?"

Keri says, "Well, yeah! You didn't think I was going to clean it myself!"

"You hired that housekeeper?"

Keri says, "Well, you don't have to stare." But Keri can't help staring either. And it's not that she even likes girls like that, but she has to admit, that's one hell of a bosom!

Justin says, "Can we get you an outfit like that?"

LCU, normal, simple, happy, part 1

LCU, spring semester, 2081 (part 1 of 3)

May starts out chilly this year, so with thoughts of warm apple cider in her head, Keri is inclined to plant an apple tree. Of course, Keri didn't actually plant the tree. She hired gardeners to do that. She just likes to lounge underneath it. And Mariah has some sun-ripened tomatoes in mind for a nice juicy salad, but she does plant those herself. Keri doesn't lift a finger. We really shouldn't be surprised at that.

LCU, only have eyes for...

LCU, fall semester, 2076

There could have been a problem back in August, when there's only one ultra-posh residence hall on campus, and two rich cousins who hate each other who want to live there. Bella says, "Are you still not over that? That was like three years ago!"

The way Amelia sees it, Alon made a mistake - after all, she was Bella Bradshaw doing whatever she did to men, so it was almost expected. But Bella, her cousin, who she grew up with like a sister, had committed an unforgivable sin. Needless to say, Amelia holds one hell of a grudge.