picspam, like a peace offering...

Sorry, no story update ready for you this weekend. But before you get very disappointed, I'm going to make up for it with pictures of Dallas and Lucy... and a very cute toddler ;)

LH stuff: Dallas and Lucy wallpapers

There were a lot of things I was supposed to be doing tonight... Was supposed to be working on Jodie's story tonight, or my novel - either/or, whichever felt like being written first. I was supposed to be folding my laundry, or loading up those dishes that I started but never actually finished... but I was NOT supposed to be Photoshopping desktop wallpapers!

Guess what I was doing?

poll: who are you most eager to hear from this season?

Who are you most eager to hear from this season?

testing things, breaking stuff...

Pardon me while I try not to make too much of a mess out of this place.

Testing some new image sizes...

LCU, landslide, part 2

October 2083 - LCU, fall semester (part 2 of 4) - Dallas Deppiesse is 19, Fenton Dyer and Iris Barton are 20. (Lucy Harris is 17.)
* soundtrack for all parts, "Landslide," by Fleetwood Mac *

The residence hall at Takemizu Academy has an ancient wishing well hidden among some trees, but Dallas won't touch it. He refuses to touch it! Because the first and only time he touched it was the first day he got here - the first hour he got here, before he'd even unpacked his bags - and this is what it told him: "The time will come for you to make a decision."

What the hell is that supposed to mean???

He also didn't know that a swarm of bees had taken up inside it. The coin he tossed disrupted their sleep, and in the space of seconds, they woke up and rushed toward him. He was stung thirty-two times.

LCU, landslide, part 1

October 2083 - LCU, fall semester (part 1 of 4) - Beau Jackson and April Hutchins are 20, Summer Phoenix and Vicky Garth are 19. (Lucy Harris is 17.)

* soundtrack for all parts, "Landslide," by Fleetwood Mac *

Summer doesn't know much about college yet, but she does know that Lucy is going to love it! They've somehow convinced her mom to let her stay for the weekend. Lucy's mom teaches computer science at LCU, so she knows the campus is largely safe, but she's still worried about the co-ed dorms.

"Don't worry Mrs. Harris," Summer says. "I'll bring her back safe and sound." Then she adds, with a wink, "And not pregnant."

"What?" Lucy's mom says.

"Kidding," Summer says. "I mean, my floor is all girls. We've got an RA - she's a girl. Keypad access and everything."

Lucy's mother is paralyzed.

"Rape alarms?"

"Bye mom," Lucy says, tugging Summer by the arm, pulling them out of the house before Summer can convince her mother to change her mind.

more than I could ever promise, part 2

August 2083 - Dallas Deppiesse is 19, Delphie and Dakota are 13. (Lucy Harris is 17.)

* soundtrack: "The Way I Am," by Ingrid Michaelson. Warnings: cheese? Dude, I tried to avoid it, but sorry, it couldn't be helped :) And maybe a tissue or two. *

Problem one, Delphie and Dakota are bored. But that isn't the most pressing problem. Things can be done about that. Problem two, they're supposed to tell Dallas before they go anywhere, where they're going, and when they'll be back. That's not exactly the problem either. The problem is, it's only twelve hours until Dallas leaves in the morning, and he's busy saying goodbye to Lucy. They've been saying goodbye for months it seems, all gross and entangled in all that affection.

Dakota says, "No way, I'm not going up there. You go up there and tell him."

graduation, extras

*** graduation extras ***

I think I like posting the outtakes separately when they're as plentiful as this. I wish I'd been doing it all along, so I could have my concise and well-planned story posts, and then my long-winded and rambling gameplay posts... but you know, I didn't. Ah, well ;)

the rules

May 2083 (graduation) - Summer Phoenix, Dallas Deppiesse, and Vicky Garth are 18, Lucy Harris is 16, Sarah Harris is 14.

*soundtrack: "Rhinoceros," by the Smashing Pumpkins*

On the morning of their graduation, the seniors gather in the library to receive their ceremony plans. Dallas has picked up a random physics textbook, just to pass the time.

Summer says to him, "Haven't you learned enough already?"

prom 2083, revisited

With four different scenes, and travel time to community lots, that prom update took forever to shoot and produced a lot of fun outtakes. And I was also feeling very particular about the mood of my narrative, so I didn't want to throw a bunch of funny outtakes at the end.

And besides all that, it was plenty long enough on its own.

So to start things off, this is what Melissa thought of my first idea for her prom dress! She says, "My cleavage is showing, I feel so naked!"

the things that make you panic

May 2083 (prom) - Dallas Deppiesse (18) and Lucy Harris (16) // Elijah Roberts (17) and Melissa Fortney (15) // Vicky Garth (18) // Summer Phoenix (18) and Tyler Jackson (19).

*** Sorry, I just realized three of my four girls have long dark hair, so I hope that doesn't get too confusing - none of them are wearing the same style. The first section kind of banks on you already knowing who these characters are, so new readers might want to read the linked posts above first. Before you think you're going crazy, yes, the first half is written in a wandering second person POV - and I intend it that way ;)

Box of tissues warning, and maybe NSFW?...

Soundtrack, "Details in the Fabric," by Jason Mraz/James Morrison. ***

You're young. You're growing up by the very minute, but inside, you're not much different from one minute to the next. Not deep down, where it counts, where you still feel the same things you've always felt. You're still the same girl you've been all along.

taken seriously

April 2083 - (2082/83 school year update)

*** as usual, I can't feasibly link to the family updates of each kid, so use the database and school enrollment if you need to ***
Bluewater Township: where Fiona McCullough shall rule the world!

As the school day begins in Bluewater Township, Robbie greets his best friend Liza with warm and questionably friendly hug. She looked a little cold, and she probably would be since it's only early April still. You know how these teenagers refuse to be bothered with jackets when they should.

But that's okay, Robbie insists, his arms will warm her just fine.

Fiona is thinking, Well isn't he a charming little booger?

His mother is thinking, Oh hell, already? At twelve?

one day, when there isn't much time left...

March 2083 (mini-update) - Dallas Deppiesse is 18, Lucy Harris is 16.

One day, when there isn't much time left, Dallas and Lucy have a study date. The house is empty and quiet, but he locks the door anyway. He puts on some music, softly, her favorites. He figures they should have music. It seems like something people would do for this occasion, though they don't normally play music when they're together. He prefers to hear her sounds instead.

2082, extras

Extras, misfits, and outtakes from the year 2082 :)

one day, at Earthland Catering...

September 2082 (mini-update) - Summer Phoenix and Dallas Deppiesse are 18, Lucy Harris is 16.

One day, at Earthland Catering, Lucy lives vicariously through Summer's dating life. Summer and Dallas are supposed to be working (and Lucy isn't supposed to be loitering the way she tends to do), but instead Summer is telling them about her date. She says, "We went out for coffee, we walked around the market square, we threw a football around a little."

Lucy says, "What's his name?"

"Floyd," Summer says.

Lucy laughs. "Floyd? I don't like that. That's not a good name."

one day, while Dallas is working...

August 2082 (mini-update) - Violet Deppiesse is 48, Lucy Harris is 16.

One day, while Dallas is working, Lucy needs somebody to talk to. She doesn't feel like she can talk to her own mother about this, especially because it's about Dallas. Her own mother "approves" of Dallas, but only in a necessary way. What Lucy needs is someone who really understands how great Dallas is, and who understands that better than his own dear mommy? So she climbs into the hot tub where Violet is relaxing, and Lucy pours her sweet little heart out.

lost and found

May 2082 - (2081/82 school year update)

*** note: there are a LOT of kids in these school updates, so remember to use the database and school enrollment page if you need it ***

"You can get pregnant! And you, and you, and you!" Jodie points to each one of them. Liza Hathe shivers, shakes her head and says under her breath, "Eeew!"

Given a recent surprise baby boom in Lake County, Jodie Larson has been asked to give a talk on birth control to the junior and senior high school students. Even though the trend is mostly happening with grown women who should know better, these are the next generation's grown women, so they figure maybe they'll educate before they get that far.

Jodie says, "Having a baby is kind of like a jail sentence, at any age. But having an oops baby when you're young is like death row! Your life is over, ladies!"

in the middle of your picture

May 2082 (prom) - Dallas Deppiesse is 17, Lucy Harris is 15. (Tyler and Beau Jackson are 18, April Hutchins is 18, Summer Phoenix is 17.)

*** notes: you'll probably want to have read Lucy's recent update first. Optional soundtrack, "All I Need," by Radiohead ***

She was just Lucy. She was just some funny little girl he met on the internet, even though they've gone to the same school since childhood. She dragged him out of his shell and became his first real friend. And then they became more than friends. They grew up together, they got older, and somehow he'd missed the point where she had morphed into something of a goddess.

tethered

April 2082 - Toby and April Harris are 42, Lucy is 15, Sarah is 13, Sam is 10. (Dallas Deppiesse is 17.) Last update, September 2078.

Lucy is still not allowed to date Dallas Deppiesse, but it has proven to be a lost cause trying to keep them apart. So her parents reason that she is allowed to have friends, and indeed, a friend he is. A friend that she watches movies with, holds hands with, and kisses goodnight at the door. A friend who drives her home from work, invites her over to dinner with his family, and stays until ten almost every night to "study." And the touching, always touching, her fingertips graze his ankle, or his hand comes to rest on her knee, as if they might die if they weren't constantly tethered by some kind of vital but invisible life force.

And nobody wants to mention - you know silly kids and their fragile egos - but do they even realize that they've started to dress color-coordinated?

But both of their grades remain consistently excellent, so who can complain? Call it what you will.

one day, at Deppiesse's...

October 2081 (mini-update) - Lucy Harris is 15.

One day at Deppiesse's Lakefront Bistro, Lucy Harris gets a job. She never wanted to have a job, but she's no trust-fund baby, so she needs to work!

Dallas sets her up with his Aunt Ashlee, and Lucy goes to interview for a waitress job at the restaurant. Lucy is pretty, and she has that sparkling kind of personality, so Ashlee thinks she'll do well as a waitress, and hires her on the spot...