last family meeting

"This is our last family meeting..." Molly said half-heartedly, eyes getting teary.

"It ain't like we won't keep in touch.  No need to get so sensitive about it."

She looked at me, unimpressed at how invalidating I was being, but now really wasn't the time.  There was enough on my mind about traveling with Izaak next week... to my hometown... where I'd have to deal with family drama and buried emotions. (What the hell am I getting myself into?)

"Besides, it's so awkward nowadays between sergeant douche and Clo."

Molly tensed up, suddenly ready to change the subject.  "It was a good few weeks though, right?"  She now looked at Toby.  "Do you think we accomplished our original mission?"

Toby chuckled.  "I'm not even sure I remember our original mission."

"To torture me," I said, sticking my tongue out at him.

The doc shook his head with a smile.  "Not everything is about you."  Today he was seated beside Clo, a little too close for my comfort.  I didn't like how chummy they were getting lately — like she was basically living with him now.  Like a typical dude, he thought he had all the power over her, but it was clear she had him wrapped around her little finger.  But I didn't dare approach that subject with Toby... he'd assume I was being protective about Izaak or just mad that he wasn't with Vic.... and he wouldn't be totally wrong.

"Ten bucks says this time it was about me."

izaak/toby scene beginning, then molly and toby

I met Izaak at the front door when he arrived, too ashamed to speak as I lead him upstairs. We entered my bedroom and his long legs immediately strode to the couch, ignoring the wooden chair I'd placed in the middle of the room. He motioned for me to take a seat next to him.

Neither of us spoke for a moment until I looked up and our eyes met. "You have not answered anyone's phone call for almost two weeks."

Gulping, I hung my head. "I know. I've been in a depressive episode."

He was silent, processing what I'd just told him. "You were manic last time I saw you."

I nodded, noticing that I wanted to get defensive and trick Izaak into feeling pity for me. I could recount past traumas and use psychiatrist jargon to make him think that I didn't actually deserve to be punished... to defend me against being vulnerable in front of him. But I didn't react to that desire, instead keeping a solemn expression, hands folded in my lap.

"What do you need to tell me?"  His sternness made my stomach twist with guilt and nervousness.  

"I... I think I triggered my own manic episode..."

[[i have no idea where this scene fits in relation to everyone finding out about chloe, so just gonna wing it 😅]]

Izaak eyes remained fixed on me, waiting for me to elaborate.  

random texting dialogue between good friends

(not sure when this is supposed to take place or what actually happened, but something I felt inspired to write)

Toby: hey, I’ve noticed lately what I’ve perceived to be passive aggressiveness coming from you. Is that your intention? Is there something we need to talk about?

Molly: me? Passive aggressive? Never!

T: … through text I can’t read your tone, but I can imagine, and I would really appreciate it if you would talk to me like an adult.

M: 🙄 I am talking to you like an adult and it doesn’t matter anyway, you’re too into Chloe right now and can’t see past her sluttiness

T: is this about Chloe or is this about me?

M: both.

T: it feels like there’s more you want to say, but I’m not going to force it out of you.

M: she lied to izaak and treated him like shit, and she did the same to me, but you’ve taken her side this whole time and helped her through it. Have you helped us at all or even put aside your defensiveness to be a good friend to us even though we’ve known you longer? Nope.

T: So you’ve been feeling like I care more about her and her needs than you and izaak?

M: yes.

T: I didn't realize you felt that way — I’m sorry, it wasn’t my intention to be more loyal to her than you

M: what was your intention?

T: honestly? Chloe has no one, her family sucks, she barely has any adulting skills despite how far she’s made it. You and Izaak have each other and the rest of the family, and you’re more resilient than she is. She needed support and I could understand where she was coming from. 

Random dialogue with violet and izaak

“I can’t believe you still want anything to do with that bitch. Not only did she lie to you, but then she got all butt hurt about you ‘lying’ to her. What a fucking hypocrite.”

“Chloe is family. Family deserves to be forgiven.”

“What the fuck? That’s so toxic, bro. She could just use you forever and keep hurting you.”

“She does not hurt me.”

“Ha. You ain’t made of steel. Of course she does, even if you won’t admit it. You’ll stick around and have all this resentment built up til shit explodes.”

“Are you projecting?”

“Ooo fancy word usage. You’ve been hanging out with Toby too much.”

And then he stayed silent, probably another trick he learned from the doc.

“Maybe I am, but you know I’m right.”

Izaak shrugged. “Maybe you are.”

violet thoughts after realizing it's chloe

i don't even believe it — innocent little clo?  she's the voice behind all those sleezy conversations i read? the naked body in that video?

yo, i'm kinda impressed.  i didn't know she had it in her.  that sneaky bitch was able to find a way to put winters in his place.

then kind of guilty-feeling cuz winters didn't even do anything wrong and was at risk of losing his company and that's fucked up.

remembering the seattle trip.  kinda mad about opening up with her when she was lying to me the whole time.  she must've gotten something at sage's house, that's why she snuck in, not to "help" me, but to sabotage the case somehow.

but makes sense she's like this if her dad was a con, too.  

putting pieces together from the last few weeks we've known each other.

the money she stole, but then saved me from andy when i was drunk af

of course she was living with izaak for his protection.  that's why she was running from michigan — she knew she was about to get caught.

something about that rubs me the wrong way.  

she seems so sweet but has this dark side nobody knows about.

does izaak know?  he must.  he's probably been making sure she hasn't gotten caught so far.  well, someone's bubble is about to burst.

how can i prove it's her?  

not sure if any of this makes sense 😂🤷‍♀️

chloe's feels

It was a tense ride home as scenes from the meeting danced through my mind.  Violet arguing with Gabe and that look she gave me.  It felt like she knew my secret, like she could see right through me.  [[[[and with the memory card gone i have no other choice but to tell her before she tells gabe.  why hasn't she told him already?  i guess she hasn't been able to get into the card.  but where did she go on a lead?  fuck i just need to talk to her... it's my only option]]]]]

Izaak's eyes stayed focused on the road as he rambled about something unimportant.  My intermittent "mmhmms" kept him satisfied enough to continue the chatter as I wondered what to do.  Running was still at the top of my list, but Izaak's protection and my new family made it harder to do that.  Toby's idea to frame somebody sounded good enough and I could find an easy target.  How else could I steer the case in that direction but to tell Violet? [[[[trying to find another way because confronting her will be scary... esp after the way everyone was kinda ganging up against her tonight...]]]]]

feelings

just rethinking this chapter and adding in the feels... gabe is so hott 🥵 

I listened again to the recording as I sat on the train, playing the same 2 minute clip where Clo talked about her grandmother on repeat.  If she's a con-artist, she could turn on the waterworks easily, but those tears felt genuine.  It also poked at something inside of me...

If I could've been a con artist to make enough money to get my dad proper treatment so he wouldn't have died so soon... fuck the government and the law, I would've done it. [[[[remembering injustice of her parents — this is what she's actually going to have to resolve at some point i guess]]]]

And revenge.  Another thing I understand.  To be honest, I didn't think innocent little Clo had it in her to do something like this out of revenge.

But Winters shouldn't pay for a crime he didn’t commit.  Sure he was creepy as fuck, but 17 is on the verge of consent, and Clo wasn't even actually 17.  He didn't actually do anything wrong... Or did he? [[[[some part of her knows that winters did something wrong, but it doesn't justify chloe getting totally off the hook]]]]

I was lost in curious thoughts when I got home, but as soon as I pushed open the door, the negative energy hit me.  I barely flipped on the light when my gaze landed on the immobile, seething figure, sitting up straight.  "Where the hell have you been?"  Gabe shot up from his seat and strode towards me.  [[[[mixture of emotions... surprised, excited, nervous, and kinda mad]]]]

re-thinking the plot 🤔

(After everyone knows it’s Chloe — violets perspective)

“You’re a fucking bitch.”

“Vi….” Molly said with pleading eyes, only to be ignored.

“No.  Don’t try to defend her.  She lied to you and all of us.  For months she pretended to be someone she’s not… she hasn’t earned our mercy.”  I took a step closer to Clo, pissed off at myself for not wanting to punch her pretty little face.  Any other bitch would’ve gotten pounded on… but she had magic powers that made everyone like her, and it also fucking worked on me.  “Fucking lied, guilt tripped me, got my closest friends involved in your bullshit.  Why are you even still fucking here?”

“Just because you don’t think I’m worthy of your presence doesn’t mean everyone else here agrees with you, contrary to what you believe.”

“Ahh look at this chameleon bullshit.  You used to be so submissive it was disgustingly cute, but suddenly you grew a pair and now you wanna stand up to me?”  I let out a laugh and shoved her.

“Hey, none of that,” Izaak commanded, ready to jump in and break up a fight at any moment.

“Let the little girl speak for herself since she’s so tough.”

Clo didn’t say anything though, backing down a little and giving puppy eyes to Toby so he would baby her.  She didn’t know that he’s a pro at dealing with manipulative bitches.

But even he caved into her con-artistry at some point, urging me to be nice.  I’d been nice enough before.  There’s no going back.

New series maybe?

This is the premise for a new series I want to write... not really well thought-out or edited... just something I wrote during a plane ride.

x-x-x-x

"Don't kill me, please."

My eyes narrowed as I flopped down on my bed, wondering what my little brother's girlfriend, Erica, got me into this time. "What did you do?"

She hesitated, trying to figure out the best way to break the news. "So remember that song you wrote and I was recording...?"

My cheeks flushed, self-conscious about my horrendous music-writing abilities. I shouldn't have shared that song with her... "Yes, what about it? You were going to delete it because it's not YouTube-worthy..."

"About that..."

violet getting protective over tristen

"Bro, what the fuck happened?"  I'd been upstairs studying for hours, only taking a break when I heard my stomach growl.  In the living room sat a black-eyed Tristen, surrounded in a semi-circle by Toby, Izaak, and Molly.  Tristen was still shaky, bag of frozen peas in hand, nervously fiddling with the plastic as she tried not to look at anyone.

"There was an altercation," Toby said, guiding his little sister's hand so that she would put the ice on her wound.  I noticed scratches on her arm and a few bruises.  

"What?  Who?  Did you call the cops?"

Tristen's one eye got really wide.  "No!"

"Why the hell not?  Who fucked you up like this?"  She stayed silent, looking back down at the floor and started crying again.  I glanced from Toby, who seemed more concerned than annoyed, to Izaak and Molly.

"She won't tell us yet.  She's too scared," Molly said softly.  

"Scared of what?" I said, so loud that it made Molly flinch a little.  So I toned it down as much as I could, considering the way my heart raced and I felt the urge to knock someone's teeth out.  Looking back at Tristen, I asked, "Are you being threatened?"  

She shook her head, still not looking up.  If I wasn't so pissed, I would've taken a moment to appreciate her cute submissiveness, but right now it was fucking annoying.  That's how she got herself into this mess in the first place. 

"Well what is it?  Come on, tell us."

Toby shot me a glare.  "You're not being helpful right now."