CAF..... ....With a Twist (photos)

[CrocMama]

This is [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Cameron[/name_m] [name_m]Jones[/name_m] [name_m]Jr[/name_m] (18), Oldest son of five, [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] was raised in a competitive household where sports were held above schoolwork and careers. Starting playing t-ball when he was five, [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] slowly improved as he was not a natural player, but knowing how important it was to his father, he tried is best. He didn’t have many girlfriends in middle school or early high school, being a skinny kid his whole childhood. Times changed after his dads death in [name_f]October[/name_f] of his freshman year of highschool. Knowing that he was the man of the house now, he needed to step it up and take care of his mother and younger brothers and sisters. Working hard in training for baseball, he realized that his true passion was football, after watching a couple of practices at the beginning of freshman year. Trying out and not making the team, added on to his dad’s death pushed him further to make the team.

Trying out for basketball, to improve is strength in Freshman year was selected for his towering hight of 6’6, making lots of friends and quickly becoming popular for his growing attractiveness and skill regarding sports. After spending the whole winter working out, he made varsity baseball his freshman year and became one of the star players, even though the youngest on the team. Spending the summer with various girlfriends, he neglected his studies, but kept up his workouts and made Varsity Football his sophmore year, becoming the most popular boy in his grade.

Over the two years since his dad’s death [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Cameron[/name_m] had been working three jobs, always either at school, practice, the gym or work. His family desperately needed him to support themselves especially with his mother being unable to find a job. He flunked all of his classes his sophmore year, and was expelled. His mother did not protest it given his families need for income.

After getting his GED 2 years later, he started at a public state College as a D1 football linebacker.

[Lindseylloyd052399]

[name_f]Cassandra[/name_f] “Cassie” [name_f]Nicole[/name_f] [name_m]Jensen[/name_m] (20) is Johnny’s childhood best friend, confidante, and neighbor. She has been a constant presence in his life, standing by him through his father’s passing and the challenges he faced growing up.

[name_f]Cassie[/name_f] was born to an upper-middle-class family with high expectations and strict rules. Although she was raised to prioritize academic success, Cassie’s passion lay in art and dance. She spent much of her childhood practicing ballet and crafting expressive paintings that reflected her deep love for the world around her.

Despite the pressures she faced at home, [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] remained a nurturing and understanding friend to [name_m]Johnny[/name_m]. Their contrasting backgrounds and interests formed an unbreakable bond. [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] admired Johnny’s strength and resilience, while he appreciated her kindness and sensitivity.

As [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] faced expulsion and focused on supporting his family, [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] stood by his side, providing emotional support and encouragement. She continued to pursue her passion for art and attended a prestigious art school, where she is currently studying fine art.

Despite their busy lives, [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] and [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] have maintained a close friendship over the years. She has become close to his family and provides a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and wise advice whenever [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] needs it. [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] has always been and continues to be a steadfast presence in Johnny’s life, embodying the true spirit of a loyal friend.

[I_meme_it]

[name_f]Eleanor[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] ’ [name_f]Cheryl[/name_f] [name_m]Jones[/name_m] (16) is John’s sister and the second of the 5 children, who’s less close with [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] due to their age gap, and also the fact there’s such economic differences between the families, something [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] has felt envious about as she’s grown up. Her great passions are psychology and art, with [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] spending a lot of her lunchtimes in the supply area, as it means she can find some space to clear her head and focus on getting some painting done too. She’s not the most diligent student otherwise, and so feeling productive does help refocus her drive where the subjects she’s not so fond of are concerned.

Sometimes [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] has wondered if there was ever any romantic interest between [name_m]John[/name_m] and [name_f]Cassie[/name_f], although she doesn’t want to stereotype them. The workings of people fascinate her, so she’s not the sort of person to shy away from asking questions, even if they’re just kept to herself…and maybe her three closest friends, not that anyone else knows for now. Her younger siblings - who are 11, 10 and 8 respectively - do ask her questions about [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] occasionally, but [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] prefers to not let them in on her narrative as they’d absolutely spill the beans and incur the disapproval of several voices.

The fact their mom let [name_m]John[/name_m] drop out of school to support the family is something [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] hasn’t ever been wholly comfortable with, and they’ve argued about this more now that John’s at college. Yes her brother’s gotten back on track, but [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] feels the pressure won’t ever leave him, and she worries about how he might continue putting everyone else ahead of himself thanks to what this has taught him. She appreciates her mom doesn’t have it easy either - with 4 kids still at home and all of them having different interests, dreams and wants - but contemplating what to do next to help her brother keeps weighing on Ellens’ mind.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Amelia[/name_f] " [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] " [name_f]Nancy[/name_f] [name_m]Jones[/name_m] (10) is Ellen’s only sister and the fourth of the siblings, who enjoys spending her time asking a whole host of questions, especially when it comes to [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] and [name_m]John[/name_m]. [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] wants to be a teenager already, so why not ask them to gain some understanding to when she’s at high school and carving out her future? She’s already started cheerleading classes, graduating from dance into this, and keeping active is the best way of stopping [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] from bothering her brothers’ and sister [although she gets very offended whenever someone so much as insinuates she does this].

Being a year apart has made [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] and her eleven-year-olx brother exceptionally close, to the point of them commonly being mistaken for twins - although they love this funnily enough. She’s not much of a tomboy but makes an exception when her brother needs someone to practice football with, and they’ve also got an elaborate zombie apocalypse game that has rules and lore only they truly understand, not that their little brother wants to play, as he’s very scared of anything vaguely horror based.

Given how young she is, [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] doesn’t fully understand the arguments [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] and their mom sometimes have, nor why [name_m]John[/name_m] wasn’t attending high school for a while, but they’re something she’d rather avoid. What does upset her more is that she can’t remember her dad too clearly, relying mostly on photos and the stories of her mom, [name_m]John[/name_m] and [name_f]Ellen[/name_f], which does frustrate her at times. [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] compares it to missing puzzle pieces when talking about it with her friends, however she’s constantly searching for answers to these questions, as she wants closure, even if that’s not the name she’s given it yet.

[wandering_willow]

[name_f]Madeline[/name_f] [name_f]Estelle[/name_f] ‘ [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] ‘ [name_f]Bloom[/name_f] (17) is [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] Jones’ cheerleading coach and an acquaintance of [name_f]Ellen[/name_f], seeing as they’re in the same math class despite [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] being a year older. [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] loves cheer and volunteers at the high school, helping out with the kids’ cheer lessons. She loves [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] dearly and thinks she reminds her of her when she was younger. She’s in Ellen’s math class because she has dyslexia and dyscalculia, which makes it very hard for her to catch up with math on the same timeframe as everyone else. It’s exhausting for her, especially when her parents call her dumb or lazy- she’s not, she tries 10x as hard just to understand the material.

But when she’s in the air, she’s like a whole new person- she’s the cheer squad’s best flier and was also in gymnastics up until she was about Mamie’s age. That combined with her bubbly, friendly personality makes her one of the most popular girls in school, but she’s more of a follower than a leader and despite the mean reputation that popular girls have, she’s never mean to anyone and would never even hurt a fly- unlike a couple of her friends…

Maddy’s kindness also comes with a certain amount of naivety, causing many to think she’s dumb (along with her learning disabilities and the stigma that comes with being in a class a grade below you). She’s still hoping to get into college and is looking at some options with a good cheer team, and is hopefully gunning for an athletic scholarship. She knows it’s a long shot, but with her determination, if anyone can do it, it’ll be her.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f]Johannah[/name_f] “ [name_f]Honey[/name_f] “ [name_f]Chloe[/name_f] [name_m]Jensen[/name_m] (18) is Maddy’s friend and the younger sister of [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] [name_m]Jensen[/name_m]. [name_f]Honey[/name_f] and some of the other friends of [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] tend to have catty personalities though thankfully they’ve strayed away from being too mean. Still, they will be strong and allied like a wolf pack if anyone picks on one of them. There’s a lot of loyalty and dependability from [name_f]Honey[/name_f], especially when she bought a pregnancy test on behalf of a friend who asked. [name_f]Honey[/name_f] felt awkward since there’s no way she’d ever be pregnant, though her friend asked because she was a juvenile and [name_f]Honey[/name_f] was an adult, so it would be more socially acceptable for [name_f]Honey[/name_f] to buy it. Thankfully this friend wasn’t actually pregnant but she appreciated being able to count on [name_f]Honey[/name_f]. [name_f]Honey[/name_f] is also someone who will root for [name_f]Maddy[/name_f], being the “cheerleader’s cheerleader”. She doesn’t care that Maddy’s behind in math, given her learning disability and besides, Honey’s always hated math anyway. She hates the way Maddy’s parents pick on their own daughter and could easily tell that they’re not kind people. Sometimes [name_f]Honey[/name_f] worries [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] could fall into the wrong crowd but she and [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] are close enough that she’d never imagine losing [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] as a friend.

[name_f]Honey[/name_f] has mixed feelings about [name_m]John[/name_m] Jr., though she knows her sister can befriend him if she wants to. She wouldn’t have expected him to drop out, remembering being in classes with him and him being smart. However those moments were when they were little kids, not when they were teenagers. Though she saw him more as “John the Brawn” given his upbringing in a brawn setting whereas she grew up in a brain setting. [name_f]Honey[/name_f] has been talking about graduation for quite some time so she can’t imagine [name_m]John[/name_m] not walking down to get a diploma. She’s so excited about this and doesn’t understand why someone wouldn’t be. [name_m]Even[/name_m] though she’s gotten farther from him as Cassie’s gotten closer, she used to want to be like him. She was the younger of two so she never grew up in a “leading the pack” vibe. This is why she has such a wolf pack mentality in her friend group because she’s strong and capable, but she’s not quite a leader and everyone’s even. [name_f]Honey[/name_f] cringes at herself remembering the time her then-8 year old self asking her parents, “How come we can’t have a big family with more siblings? The [name_m]Jones[/name_m] family has five children!” Her parents responded, “We can’t afford that, sorry. We have only one car and it can’t fit all those new kids.” [name_f]Honey[/name_f] responded that they could put all the babies in the trunk to have more room. [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] had to hold in her laughter at that ridiculously wrong advice. Now, [name_f]Honey[/name_f] is glad she just has [name_f]Cassie[/name_f] as a sister as she’s shy around small kids. Thankfully [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] is a master at that, with Honey’s weakness being Maddy’s strength. [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] can prove that despite her condition, she can still have skills and help [name_f]Honey[/name_f] just as much as [name_f]Honey[/name_f] helps her.

[MissMorland]

[name_f]Sloane[/name_f] [name_f]Arielle[/name_f] McLeod (18) is one of [name_f]Honey[/name_f] and Maddy’s friends. Out of the five girls in their friend group, [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] is probably the meanest. She hates fake people and doesn’t tolerate them at all. She doesn’t often start arguments with people but she always finishes them, and when her or her friends get treated wrongfully she’s not one to take the high road. Her frequent sarcasm, unapproachableness, and inability to feign interest for people she doesn’t care about tend to hurt her reputation even more. Oftentimes people at school wonder how her friends tolerate her but once you get to know her better, [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] can actually be really funny and supportive. If she truly cares about you she’ll always be there for you no matter what, even if she does have to insert some snarky comments here and there.

[name_f]Sloane[/name_f] and [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] met in middle school. A few kids were teasing [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] about her learning disabilities and [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] got incredibly upset, arguing with them and telling them to leave her alone. The two of them had lunch together after that. and became fast friends. [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] cannot stand it when people get bullied or teased for things they can’t help because she saw that happen to her brother. Her nineteen year old brother has been deaf from birth and has cochlear implants. He can hear sounds but can’t make out speech. [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] often remembers him being in tears from something someone said or did at school at it made her feel awful. [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] started learning ASL from a baby and her whole family uses it regularly, even though her brother has practically become a master lip reader. Sloane’s parents are both hard workers who care very much about their children. She’s learned a lot about work ethic from them as well as good money management. Her family isn’t rich by any means but her parents’ wise financial decisions certainly help them to live comfortably. After graduation, she plans to start working full time at her dad’s mechanic shop, college hasn’t ever appealed to her and she feels like this is the best fit.

[name_f]Sloane[/name_f] isn’t sure she’s as excited about graduating as [name_f]Honey[/name_f]. Being an adult seems incredibly scary to her and she really hates thinking about it. Also on her list of things she really hates thinking about is how one of her friends is crushing hard on her brother. [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] emphatically stated that she would not be able to control what her face does when he comes up in conversation but is secretly kind of hoping it works out. She’s even tried to encourage her friend to tell him. Her brother is an absolute hopeless romantic and much to Sloane’s dismay turns incredibly stupid whenever he likes someone, which explains why he stayed with his awful ex girlfriend for an entire year. [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] is sure that her friend would be a good match for her brother but is waiting very impatiently for something to come of it. Sloane’s friends swear up and down that one of the boy’s on the basketball team has a crush on her, citing long lists of evidence that consist of staring at her, trying to be near her, and many other things she can’t remember. [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] isn’t quite sure she believes them but she can’t deny that she finds him cute and that he’s rather sweet. Her friends are constantly giving her looks whenever he walks past them in school and [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] always responds promptly with a death glare.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f]Roxanne[/name_f] " [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] " [name_f]Alyssa[/name_f] Hower (18) is Sloane’s best friend, who’s ironically considered her polar opposite, being the most approachable and friendly of the five. Her personable nature is something [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] attributes to being the middle of three siblings, all of whom are adopted. It doesn’t bother her too much doing damage control if [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] has been aloof, however she isn’t a pushover and is firm if she feels she’s fringing too close to being unnecessarily rude.

[name_m]Devoted[/name_m] to music, [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] jokes about how her parents sealed her future with the name they chose for her, although her preference is for the electronic side of things. She started on guitar but became interested in synths and mixing in middle school, which are now her primary focus, something her friends have encouraged her in the pursuit of. Currently her plan for college is to specialise in programming, as it will give her access to more software and help with her composition confidence, even though her goal’s more unconventional.

[name_f]Rosie[/name_f] was just three weeks old when she first came home, and although it’s surprised her peers, she’s upfront about her current lack of interest in tracing her biological roots. She’ll always express thanks to her birth mother for making the right choice in giving her up, but disagrees completely with the idea total knowledge will improve her life.

This lack of pursuing what could be stressful is why Rosie’s been advising caution to [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] about setting their friend up with her brother, as while she likewise agrees the ex being left was for the best, she knows [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] might experience unfair pressure or guilt if the matchmaking doesn’t work out. At least it’s not someone within the circle of five, as the potential splitting of them is something [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] really would hate to see happen.

[cara_murvolio]

[name_f]Lois[/name_f] [name_f]Jocelyn[/name_f] Withers (18) is the fifth member of the friend group who’s best friends with the person [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] wants to set up her brother with. They go to a different school which is part of why things have been delayed, but it’s also because [name_f]Lois[/name_f] and [name_f]Sloane[/name_f] have butted heads a bit over the suggestion, as [name_f]Lois[/name_f] doesn’t want anything to go wrong between Sloanes’ brother and her bestie.

A very practical and blunt person, [name_f]Lois[/name_f] isn’t seen as super friendly or approachable, but she’s also very helpful and her determination is infectious to others. She’s the daughter of a respected mountaineer who has been on many expeditions and hopes to follow in her dad’s footsteps, already loving climbing and the outdoors, but she’s still trying to convince her mom it isn’t a terrible decision for her to also get into that way of life.

Her interest in academics is much less strong and it’s something she’s bonded with [name_f]Maddy[/name_f] over, as she wants to encourage her friend to see there’s so many more things she can do in life without maths getting in the way - not that [name_f]Lois[/name_f] is shy about her dislike of Maddys’ parents attitudes about this. She wouldn’t confront them or anything, but is trying to combat their criticism along with [name_f]Honey[/name_f], focusing on what Maddy’s amazing at: cheerleading!

[taisia1]

[name_m]Eli[/name_m] [name_m]Henry[/name_m] Withers (21) is Lois’s older brother, a charismatic and adventurous spirit who complements her practicality with his outgoing personality and spontaneity. Having spent years navigating between the worlds of academia and the great outdoors, [name_m]Eli[/name_m] has always acted as a bridge between Lois’s ambitions and their mother’s apprehensive perspective. While he respects their dad’s legacy as a mountaineer, [name_m]Eli[/name_m] chose to pursue a degree in Environmental [name_m]Science[/name_m], hoping to find a way to merge his love for nature with a stable career path.

Despite being more sociable than [name_f]Lois[/name_f], [name_m]Eli[/name_m] shares a strong sibling bond with her, often encouraging her to embrace risks as much as she embraces caution. He’s a firm believer in finding balance and often acts as her cheerleader, attending her climbing competitions and offering solid advice, drawn from both personal experience and study.

[name_m]Eli[/name_m] has a caring relationship with their mother, often acting as her confidant, providing insight into Lois’s passion for climbing in a way that eases her worries. He’s also supportive of [name_f]Maddy[/name_f], advocating for her strengths in cheerleading, sometimes offering her the same encouragement he gives [name_f]Lois[/name_f]. Eli’s charm and enthusiasm often lead him to be a mediator for the group, fostering a sense of unity and encouraging everyone to chase their dreams, whether on the mountain or on the field.

[CherryBomb50]

Warning for aforementioned widowing and overdependence.

[name_f]Jeane[/name_f] [name_f]Brittany[/name_f] Withers (25) is [name_f]Lois[/name_f] and Eli’s older sister, who honestly prefers ziplining over mountaineering, though she’s definitely gotten the adventure streak nonetheless. However her career is ironically closer to her mother’s; she dreamed of that since childhood but used to not believe she could do it. She’s not surprised of the matchmaking she’s overhearing from [name_f]Lois[/name_f], even though she’s not really interested in getting involved with that herself. [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] is actually in a relationship, though she hasn’t really talked about. Not because she thinks her family isn’t supportive, but more so because they only just got together and she still feels awkward just to say she’s a “girlfriend”. Though she’s sure it will go forward and they will eventually know each other’s families. She jokes that she wishes this new partner wasn’t afraid to zipline but she respects people facing fears (or not) at their own paces. [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] doesn’t mind how germy the outdoors are if she’s having fun (though she always takes antiseptic) though she’s very germaphobic and freaked out in hospitals. She’s never had to go to the hospital other than being born, and she finds them very gloomy and eerie. She’s grateful never to have surgery because that would freak her out more. [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] can honestly say she’s never had anything removed, even though her mother has had something removed – her! But [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] respects doctors and always will; even though she used to dislike eye doctors for not giving her glasses as a child. She didn’t need them, just wanted them for some reason.

[name_f]Jeane[/name_f] likes having younger siblings but never treats them like babies – that’s how she treats her chinchilla, [name_m]Chewy[/name_m]! [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] loves to make [name_m]Chewy[/name_m] happy, she feels like such a kid again when she’s with him. She wishes she was more into pets as a kid, instead having a virtual online pet, and feared it would die if she didn’t log in every day. When she went to ziplining camp for the summer, her pet thankfully didn’t die, though it did abandon her. She went from worrying she betrayed it to being bothered it betrayed her. [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] sometimes likes to pass herself off as really normal, but her siblings know all about her weird interests. She finds Lois’s group of friends to be cool people, especially [name_f]Rosie[/name_f], since [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] looks up to and has since befriended the eldest Hower sibling. The story behind the adoptions is brilliant and interesting, though [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] isn’t the type to make a huge deal about those sorts of things.

[name_f]Jeane[/name_f] is also a maternal cousin of [name_m]John[/name_m] [name_m]Jones[/name_m], though it’s hard to tell given their mother’s decision to enroll them into a different school and her far different work ethic. [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] has a personal secret, something her mother agrees with: they’re secretly glad her aunt finally got a job, because they felt like [name_m]John[/name_m] was being used in a sense. They know she was trying to manage raising her 4 juvenile siblings, but having him lose out on school and work 3 jobs personally disgusted Mrs. Withers, who was always sensible with how she contributed to the family. Jeane’s tried not to be her enemy and to support her progress now that she’s contributing again, but she feels [name_m]John[/name_m] got the short end of the stick. He didn’t get expelled from school for being lazy; in fact, it was the opposite! She understands Ellen’s point of view and doesn’t judge her however, if anything it’s worrisome to [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] because she’s the second-eldest [name_m]Jones[/name_m], and if her mother didn’t get her act straight, [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] would be overworking herself too. [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] knows [name_m]John[/name_m] has dated a few chicks though she doesn’t know if he’s with anyone serious. But [name_f]Jeane[/name_f] is a true believer in love, so she hopes her cousin finds someone who cares about him, and that [name_f]Lois[/name_f] and Sloane’s set-up attempt in the friend group also works out well.

John was created by @CrocMama.

Ellen was created by @I_meme_it.

[Lindseylloyd052399]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Zander[/name_m] [name_m]Ace[/name_m] [name_m]Jones[/name_m] (11) is Jeane’s cousin and Mamie’s BFF at home. He loves zombies and football and he likes to feel like a legend. Unaware of what [name_m]John[/name_m] is going through but is glad their mother is more helpful. He senses the family will have to do more chores and responsibilities. He mopes about this but he knows life is hard without his father. [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] still makes him feel like a kiddo and he loves keeping their zombie fighting code a secret.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f][/name_f]

tw: death of a spouse; grief; depression; financial struggles

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Jeanette[/name_f] " [name_f]Janna[/name_f] " [name_f]Haylea[/name_f] [Anderson] [name_m]Jones[/name_m] (51) is mother to [name_m]Zander[/name_m] and his siblings, [name_m]John[/name_m], [name_f]Ellen[/name_f], [name_f]Mamie[/name_f] and the youngest family member, her third son. She and her late husband, [name_m]John[/name_m] Sr. [who passed away from an aggressive form of leukemia],[name_f][/name_f] were high school sweethearts who wholly lived a fairytale together. [name_f]Janna[/name_f] couldn’t imagine being with someone else, and even now he’s been gone for several years, she can’t imagine being with anyone else. Most of all because of her bond with her children, who mean everything to her.

[name_f][/name_f]

The strain of losing [name_m]John[/name_m] Sr., is something most felt by the family in a financial sense. [name_f]Janna[/name_f] worries often about the pressure her oldest two children potentially feel. Her eldest [name_f][/name_f]- [name_m]John[/name_m] Cameron/Johnny [who goes by two nicknames] [name_f][/name_f]- dropped out of high school and worked for two years, as [name_f]Janna[/name_f] was unable to find employment. As she’d been out of work so long raising her children, and had to consider them with what she applied for, a lot of places turned her own or wouldn’t even consider her resume, something that bothered her greatly.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Janna[/name_f] struggled with depression during this period, feeling angry at herself and useless at what her son was having to sacrifice. She eventually managed to find employment with a greengrocers and [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] was able to obtain his GED, now continue onto college with his athletic scholarship secured; a huge relief for [name_f]Janna[/name_f]. Since then she’s also been able to see her other children flourish in their confidence, and she’s been spending a lot of time with [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] [name_f][/name_f]- her older daughter [name_f][/name_f]- to stop her internalising any of the stress.

[name_f][/name_f]

---

[name_f][/name_f]

@moonwriteen
[name_f][/name_f]@ElisabethJulie
[name_f][/name_f]@I.have.no.idea
[name_f][/name_f]@mynameis1
[name_f][/name_f]@cara_murvolio
[name_f][/name_f]@taisia1

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f][/name_f]

Warning for death of a brother and grief.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f] [Jones] Withers (52) is Janna’s sister-in-law, who feels a sense of advice to go talk to [name_f]Janna[/name_f]. [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] feels that [name_f]Janna[/name_f] is a nice person, but doesn’t quite understand Janna’s different work background. [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] works in stocks and bonds and is the type to work harder since her brother’s passing and doesn’t understand Janna’s ways of trying to hold herself together as a single mother of 5. [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] was very close to [name_f]Janna[/name_f] after [name_m]John[/name_m] Sr.’s final days and ultimate passing, though she unfortunately grew apart. People knew [name_m]John[/name_m] Sr. more as a husband and a father rather than a brother, so people hadn’t comforted [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] as often. [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] finds it unfair but in retrospect, this isn’t Janna’s fault. And [name_f]Janna[/name_f] was self-aware seeing the bigger pictures of how [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] had to leave school for work, leading to some classmates judging him. [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] isn’t anything like Tomasine’s children, but she knows his ways with sports and flirting is simply his way of trying to keep who he is despite everything. Her children [name_f]Jeane[/name_f], [name_m]Eli[/name_m], and [name_f]Lois[/name_f] take after their father’s adventurous side, and she can’t imagine a world with them without their[name_f][/name_f] father. Not to mention her[name_f][/name_f] husband. And the brother[name_f][/name_f] of her husband’s brother, who is actually his fraternal twin!

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] is admittedly afraid of heights and grew up with a lot of friends who pressured her into doing crazy high adventures. She did actually do quite a few because she didn’t want them to know but still never got over it and since made a bunch of excuses that she has “other plans”. But she has a special desire to get more fresh air, since she often doesn’t get this at work, and she often worries about missing out. She and her brother who were close in age (although not twins) and he was her only sibling. They had a lot of childhood fantasies going outside and treating their backyard like their own little world. [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] feels a sense of warmth when her children were younger and clearly Janna’s children had memories like this as kids. She knows things are much different in the nearly three years since [name_m]John[/name_m] Sr. passed, and that [name_f]Janna[/name_f] truly has a lot to balance. [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] senses the [name_m]Jones[/name_m] children have had to grow up faster and that spending time with [name_m]Johnny[/name_m] and [name_f]Ellen[/name_f] is just as important as spending time with the younger siblings. [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] has spent more time lately, getting moments to open up more with her in-laws, especially since she wants more closeness. The youngest [name_m]Jones[/name_m] sibling always jumps up to the Withers family to give them hugs, and [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] loves this, but wants everyone to feel included. She can’t imagine how the youngest feels losing his father so young and feels a sense of hope with his childish spirit, but never underestimated his pain. [name_f]Tomasine[/name_f] isn’t as good at communicating as her husband. Though she’s mentioned she’s proud of [name_f]Janna[/name_f] now, and gets nervous to say it, but [name_f]Janna[/name_f] knows she means the wholehearted truth.

[mynameis1]

Daria Marjay Redgull (18) is the niece of one of Tomasine’s coworkers at the firm Tomasine works at. Daria started coming down to the firm where her aunt worked starting with she was as young as 11 and started living with her. Daria enjoys coming down to the firm, as she gets along with Tomasine and the other workers at the location. Recently, with the news of John Sr.’s passing, Daria has noticed a shift in Tomasine and other members of his family. She was half inclined to intend his funeral to perhaps support the ones who were close to him, but decided not to as it might be weird, considering she didn’t really know him. Still though, Daria was one of the few people who noticed Tomasine’s sadness at the loss of her brother, and told her she’d be thinking of him and to always ask if she needed anything. Daria wasn’t sure if this was enough or too cliche, but she wanted to help where she could. Since Tomasine was feeling somewhat neglected in her grief, she was greatful for the teen noticing and being supportive. Tomasine tells her coworker that she has a done a fine job at raising Daria to be a beautiful, compassionate young lady.

While Daria’s father left when she was about a month old to be with another woman, Daria’s mother is still alive and present in her life. The reason Daria is being raised by her aunt is because of her mother’s chronic illness that she was diagnosed with when Daria was 3. The chronic illness she has affects her legs and ability to walk or properly move her muscles, often leading to a lot of pain and muscle spasms. While it was a horribly painful decision to make, Daria’s mom and her aunt decided it’d be best if Daria lived with her aunt, and saw her mother on the weekends. This is alright with Daria. She doesn’t have siblings, and due to her standoffish nature, she is happy with that. When she gets home from school or had part-time job at Starbucks, she wants to be alone in her room, not bothered by a brother or sister.

In school, Daria is sort of what you would call a floater of friends. She has a lot of groups that she can talk and get along with and it seems and feels natural for her, but at the end of the day, that group is just her group for the day. That will change by tomorrow or the day after. Daria currently doesn’t have a circle or even a best friend of her own. The closest person she would consider to be her “best friend” would be Roxanne “Rosie” Hower, due to the pair’s shared love of music. Daria plays piano and electric guitar, and Rosie and her like that they have shared interest. Daria knows that Rosie sees her more as a buddy than her best friend, and Daria would say the same. It’s more than out of the groups and people she floats around to, Rosie and her group are the closest she has to the real thing. But her flakiness in making true connections and joining a circle of her own prevents her from becoming part of the group officially.

Daria isn’t sure why it’s so hard for her to make a solid connection, it’s not that she doesn’t want to. This floatiness doesn’t come from any singular traumatic event, though Daria thinks it has to do with some bullying she faced in her younger years. But she also believes it very well could just be a part of who is. She often gets bored talking to the same people everyday, which is why she drifts between groups and talks to anyone. It’s a bit of a lonely existence, however, as Daria feels she’s there for everyone - such as Tomasine and anyone else she can see is sad or struggling - but no one really knows her well enough to do the same. At the very least, Daria has her two guinea pigs, Sasha and Stone. She loves them both, and considers them to be her best friends for now.

[taisia1]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Marnie[/name_f] [name_f]Saige[/name_f] Hower (12) is sister of [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] Hower, Daria’s closest acquaintance. She has met [name_f]Daria[/name_f] a few times and think that she is rather cool. [name_f]Marnie[/name_f] loves drawing and often sketches her classmates during lunch. She also enjoys playing ukulele and has a small collection of graphic novels. [name_f]Marnie[/name_f] lives with her parents, [name_f]Rosie[/name_f] and their brother, who is a middle child. [name_m]Brother[/name_m] often teases [name_f]Marnie[/name_f] but is supportive of her artistic pursuits. They also have a golden retriever [name_m]Diesel[/name_m] who has a knack for stealing socks and a turtle Bowser, who is Marnie’s personal pet. [name_f]Marnie[/name_f] tends to be shy in class. She shines in art and music but often hesitates to participate in discussions. Her teachers describe her as thoughtful and creative. [name_f]Marnie[/name_f] has a tendency to doodle on her hands when she is bored or anxious.

[cara_murvolio]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Catherine[/name_f] " [name_f]Kate[/name_f] " [name_f]Julia[/name_f] Clarkeson (12) is one of Marnie’s good friends and a fellow lover of graphic novels. [name_f]Kate[/name_f] also really likes comics, inheriting a lot of them from her older brother. He’s just left for college which has meant more of his stuff has been passed onto her, although (to her annoyance), some things are still off limits because they’re so important to him. [name_f]Kate[/name_f] does admit she’s not avid about sharing her art supplies with him though [name_f][/name_f]- a little unfair given he’s studying to become a comic and concept art illustrator.

[name_f][/name_f]

Typically Kate’s more outspoken than [name_f]Marnie[/name_f], but doesn’t speak for her, as she doesn’t want to take away what confidence her good friend does have. This hasn’t stopped some teachers telling [name_f]Kate[/name_f] to not talk when it’s not appropriate, as she does have a major chatterbox side. It’s well-meaning though, as she’s usually trying to explain something to someone…in her own whirlwind [name_f]Kate[/name_f] manner. Her mom insists it’s her dad who she inherited this trait from, and [name_f]Kate[/name_f] wouldn’t really disagree.

[CherryBomb50]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Charles[/name_m] “ [name_m]Chas[/name_m] “ [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] Clarkeson (18) is Kate’s older brother and proud college student. He’s a humble guy who often doesn’t like to show emotion, but he doesn’t like to look too stoic either. People used to call him “a bot”, so he feels it’s best he keep up being, well, human. He hates the way he was as a kid, finding it very embarrassing, and feels that’s what humbled him. When he was 7, a kid in his class had terrible kicking skills in kickball and he told him, “Good job at kickball. NOT!” They then had a footrace, [name_m]Chas[/name_m] lost badly[name_f][/name_f] to this other kid. Needless to say, that humbled him so much – honestly what he gets for making fun of people. Some people then would be surprised that the boastful kid grew up calmer now, but his friends have been loyal despite all of them changing throughout the years. [name_m]Chas[/name_m] even got into a college nearby when he realised how much he’d miss his after-school job. Sure, it was just in fried chicken, but the management was so unbelievably kind. [name_m]Even[/name_m] when other employees came off as rude, they always stayed loyal and helpful. [name_m]Chas[/name_m] wishes there was more of that.

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_m]Chas[/name_m] had always wanted to be a comic and concept art illustrator. He always stated he would never draw his fave vampire character as a human, based on an angry experience he had seeing him. He thought the character was so awesome as a vampire and he completely ruined his character when he said he wanted to be human, only to be derailed when it happened. [name_f]Kate[/name_f] has heard quite a lot about these rants, especially since this was a character [name_m]Chas[/name_m] loved as a child and she knew how much he despised it. But she didn’t really mind, and she liked someone else being the chatterbox, especially since [name_m]Chas[/name_m] isn’t usually one. Then he read it again as a teen to see if his mind would change but it didn’t. [name_f]Kate[/name_f] jokes this is why she never wanted him to watch The [name_m]Little[/name_m] Mermaid[name_f][/name_f] with her. [name_m]Chas[/name_m] thinks [name_f]Marnie[/name_f] is an awesome friend for [name_f]Kate[/name_f], but has a secret: [name_m]Chas[/name_m] is falling for [name_f]Daria[/name_f]. He loves how caring she is despite how different she comes off as, and enjoys that she doesn’t feel the need to “box herself in”. He feels bad for the [name_m]Jones[/name_m] family and admires Daria’s empathy. Given his nature, he’s not going to make this look too obvious, and he often avoids situations with her if he’s just too nervous. After all, her nearby is another reason why he wanted a local college, since he’s first fell for her before then. Not that he’d ever tell her.

[taisia1]

[name_f][/name_f]

TW: Loss of grandparent

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Daria[/name_f] [name_f]Esther[/name_f] [name_f]Monroe[/name_f] (18) is a bright and ambitious girl who has just graduated high school and is now attending the same college as [name_m]Chas[/name_m]. She is a compassionate person and is friendly to those around her. She has grown up next door to the Clarkeson family and has nice relationship with him. [name_f]Daria[/name_f] is pursuing a major in Psychology and hopes to work as a therapist after graduation. She in a serious relationship with her high school sweetheart and has many pets which are waiting for her from campus. The closest person in Daria’s life has always been her grandmother, who lived in the house with her and her parents. They had many fun memories and days spent together. Her grandmother was looking forward to Daria’s homecoming, but she didn’t live to see it just a little bit. [name_f]Daria[/name_f] misses her very much and recently planted a tree in her honor.

[kitkatcookie]

[name_f][/name_f]

[name_f]Irina[/name_f] " Irin " [name_f]Violeta[/name_f] Jorović (18) is a friend of both Darias’: [name_f]Monroe[/name_f] and Redgull, and she’s started to suspect [name_m]Chas[/name_m] has a crush on the latter. It’s not something Irin has commented on, especially around [name_f]Daria[/name_f] R, as she doesn’t want to put anyone in an awkward situation. She’s witnessed enough of those when her older brother used to try and play matchmaker with his friends. [name_m]Success[/name_m] only started to reach him when he was in his 20s and actually recognised who’d suit one another, rather than acting on whims [name_f][/name_f]- something she teases about, given how he used to roll his eyes at the charm Irin herself finds in astrology.

[name_f][/name_f]

Belonging to a Yugoslavian-American family, Irin grew up immersed in her cultural heritage. Her mom’s a second generation immigrant while her dad’s a first, with them having met while studying in Belgrade. They’ve visited as a family on several occasions subsequently, and Irin is contemplating taking an erasmus year as she continues her studies of religion and theology, not that anything’s definite yet.

[name_f][/name_f]

Irins’ mother is a landscape gardener, who actually specialises in memorial gardens. This is something she and [name_f]Daria[/name_f] M bonded over closely following the tragedy the [name_f]Monroe[/name_f] family have weathered recently, as Irin offered to seek advice from her mom, should anyone want this. She’s always someone eager to offer help, however it does worry her that this might seem meddlesome at times. Mostly it’s because Irin really values her own personal space and time to just be in her own company. Her roommate is completely like-minded in this regarded, and it’s why the pair have bonded so closely, being very much on the same wavelength.

[name_f][/name_f]

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[name_f][/name_f]

Daria’s[name_f][/name_f] credited to @mynameis1